The Price of Immortality
by I-de-BadBad-Wolf
Summary: The love shared so briefly between two beings from different realms brings about repercussions that neither can foresee. Can their love be reunited or will outside forces tear them apart? A series of events from the end of Thor and will eventually end just before the beginning of Avengers . Thor, Jane and I do what I want Loki...
1. Chapter 1

**I was dragged along to see this movie having never read a comic about Thor in my life – always preferred adult comics such as Sandman and Fables rather than Marvel and DC. But just fell in love with the two main characters – Chris's portrayal of Thor (and being utterly gorgeous to boot) and the sweet romance that develops between him and Jane is just asking for a continuation...**

_**(Note to self: will try and keep the chapters under 1000 words).**_

_I have absolutely nothing to do with the making of Thor – worse luck!_

**# #**

She looked up at the darkening sky, the stars beginning to shine and the moon a dull ache of roundness subdued behind a fleeting cloud. She lay back in the reclining chair and watched the slowly shifting clouds. It was starting to get a little chilly as the wind picked up its tempo. She shivered and sighed. Her experiments were getting more intense and difficult but she felt that she was almost there, that he was almost within reach. She pictured his open and honest face, she remembered the touch of his lips on hers. She breathed the cold night air deeply and tried not to feel the hurt and pain she always felt when thinking of him. He had promised to return for her. He had promised to bring her to Asgard over eight months ago and she still held a tiny pulse of hope inside her, but mostly just a deep and unwelcome betrayal. She didn't want to hold anything but love in her heart for the man, the larger than life man who had entered her world so briefly and made her feel so much. She hoped he was safe. She hoped she would see him again. She hoped it would be soon.

**# # # # # #**

"Thor."

Thor closed his eyes and wearily placed the leather-bound journal onto the large oak table before turning towards his father. Odin walked through the open doorway and closed the large ornate door quietly behind him.

"Thor, I asked you to leave Loki's things alone."

"Father. Please allow me to continue looking. His notes are detailed and he may have written down a different way to travel between the realms."

"Have you learnt nothing about your brother Thor?" Odin continued to walk towards Thor and placed his hand on Thor's shoulder. "Loki played a game with us. He toyed with your emotions which set about the chain of events that made you into a better person. But in doing so he lost himself." Odin looked around the large chambers that had once belonged to Loki. "Loki is gone from us and the things he has left behind might hurt us further. You must forget about finding another bridge."

"I still believe there has to be a way." Thor said, staring at his father, willing him to understand.

"No Thor." Odin said and banged the staff hard onto the marble floor. The journal behind Thor began to frazzle before erupting in a startling burning crescendo. Thor looked around the room and saw the open cabinet containing Loki's written works. The pages started to smoulder.

"No." Thor screamed and rushed towards the cabinet realising he was too late. With a silent roar the papers and books combusted and within seconds all were reduced to ash.

Thor watched as his last hope in ever returning to Jane went up in flames.

"You can never see the mortal again. You must forget her and get on with your life."

"You know nothing of what I feel." Thor retorted, pushing his father's hand away. He felt hollow inside thinking of Jane and how he had betrayed her.

"She is a mortal Thor. She belongs in her own world and in her own time. Asgard exists outside such limitations."

"But we cheat Father. If she lived on Asgard she would have the powers we possess."

"She is lost to you Thor. Forget about her."

**Righteeoooh, first chapter finished. Obviously you all know the drill – there's this little button south of this message that's just begging to be pushed – and you'll make this housewife workaholic (who really has more important things to do) extremely happy. Have a great week y'all.**


	2. Chapter 2

**I do not own any part of Thor (unfortunately not even the gorgeous Chris Hemsworth – but then he's married and so am I so probably a good thing).**

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><p>Darcy removed the helmet and then deftly pulled down the zippers and pulled apart the Velcro. She then carefully peeled the large white bodysuit away from Jane who stepped out of the costume and grabbed hold of Darcy for support, feeling the usual dizziness.<p>

"So?" said Darcy, barely able to keep the excitement out of her voice. "Where did you end up this time?"

Jane hobbled three steps to the nearest chair and sat down. She stretched her limbs out, breathing deeply before massaging her left thigh which was a little cramped.

Erik Selvig rushed over to Jane with the all-important can of Coke. She opened it and started drinking greedily. The sugar rush hit her within seconds and she slowed her drinking down until she was finished. She handed it back to Erik who took is silently. He then stuck three electrodes to her forehead, the wires connecting her to the large silent machine beside her. He switched it on and read the readings for exactly one minute before the machine beeped and a print-out emerged from the machine, coming into his waiting hand. He pulled the paper out and scanned it quickly.

"Your Gamma activity over the somatosensory cortex is slightly higher than your usual, even after a jump." Erik said frowning. "Otherwise brain activity seems to be within the parameters we predicted."

"As is to be expected if reflecting on sensory experiences in an unknown environment." Jane replied pulling the electrodes off her skin.

"So in other words everything absolutely normal." Darcy laughed kneeling down in front of Jane and taking her hand.

"So what did you see this time whilst floating in space? More unheard of Nebulas and strange star formations?"

"Not this time, no." Jane said rubbing the skin where the electrodes had been touching. "I was underwater."

Darcy gasped and Erik sat down abruptly in the chair beside her.

"You were on a planet." Erik stated, shaking his head and grinning like a lune.

Jane frowned and tried to remember the sensation she had felt only minutes before. She had been underwater and although she could see nothing through the swirling mass of pressure that pushed from all angles against her suit she had felt the strangest sensation. Almost as if she were upside-down. She had felt terribly dizzy and had remained only seconds in the new environment before pressing the Bubble which had automatically returned her inside the circle. She had been away only seconds and yet it felt like hours. Her body felt all rubbery and her mind ticked feverishly with all the sums and calculations she would need to enter in the machines for the next jump.

"Were you there?" Erik asked quietly, trying to keep stoic about the whole thing but failing miserably. "Were you on Asgard?"

"I don't know." Jane almost wailed in return. "I don't know where I was. I was in some ocean of some planet."

"Wow. Thank goodness we made that suit of yours capable of being in all environments including space, water, freezing temperatures, heat, walls..." she ticked them off on her fingers. "Well maybe not walls." She said as an afterthought.

"It was Asgard." Erik stated, looking adamant. "You've made the calculations numerous times and predicted you would land somewhere."

"I've been wrong before." Jane said, shaking her head. "But if I just twist the modulator a quarter fraction of an..." She had stood up and was walking over to a little machine on a table. Her voice grew fainter as she talked quietly to herself about the things that needed to be done.

Erik walked up quietly beside her. "You can't _jump_ again today Jane."

"I have to find it. I'm almost there. I can't stop now I'm so close."

"Two jumps maximum a day Jane. Your rules."

"And rules are meant to be broken." Jane turned to him and smiled shakily up at him. "I know you're only looking out for me but I'm asking for one more jump today."

Erik knew she would never renege now she had set her heart on returning.

"One more jump." He said, shaking his head. He pulled a Mars Bar out of his pocket and handed it to her. "But not until you eat some chocolate. You need the sugar."

She grinned and bit off a piece. "Anything you say." She said.

Erik choked and laughed. "If only."

**# # # # # #**

Frigga and Thor walked hand in hand away from the King of Asgard who lay in his Odinsleep. Almost a year had passed since Odin had awakened from his previous sleep and lost his adopted son. But unlike last time Odin had entered the Odinsleep naturally without due stress so he would slumber for only a short while before awakening refreshed and ready to resume his duties as King. Until then his son would act in his stead.

Frigga and Thor entered the Great Chamber together and walked down the long hall, surrounded by Asgardians shouting encouragement. The Asgardians were excited about having the young ruler as leader, even if only for a few days. Thor remembered the last time he had walked down this path with screaming people on either side. He remembered his own behaviour – his mother's secret smile and her face open with pleasure, his disapproving father scowling at his attitude and Loki watching from the side. He shuddered inwardly as he remembered the events of that long long week that finished with the death of his brother. And he smiled as he remembered Jane, before quickly removing her from his thoughts. The Warriors Three and Sif stood in the same positions as last time, befitting the greatest warriors in the land. He walked closer and they raised their weapons in greeting and he laughed up at them before ascending the stairs and turning to face the crowd. His mother climbed a few steps higher as befitting the wife and mother of the Kings of Asgard.

Thor raised _Mjöllnir _high above his head and the crowd roared its approval. In his other hand he held the Staff of Odin and he tapped it lightly to the ground. The sound rang loud and clear throughout the chamber and beyond. Thor faced his people and clasped Mjöllnir to his chest.

"I Thor. Odin's Son. I swear to guard the Realm Immortal that is Asgard and the other eight realms if it be in my power to do so." Thor paused briefly and when so doing he heard a thin whining sound, almost like the sound of a mosquito from Earth. He ignored it and continued. "I swear to pledge myself only to the good of the realm and..."

He stopped talking and looked at his friends who stared back at him as the whining sound grew louder. The people of Asgard looked around them in consternation. What was that sound? It continued to rise in volume, a pitch that changed into a drone. The noise was reaching a level that was causing discomfort to the people. Many were raising their hands to their ears to try and block out the uncomfortable whine, which had grown louder still.

"Friends. To me." Thor shouted above the noise, walking down the steps, holding Mjöllnir ahead of him and continuing to the centre of the room. Volstagg and Sif were directly behind him with their weapons raised with Hogun and Fandral just behind. The noise grew louder and Thor could almost feel the thrumming in his teeth. Thor looked ahead and his eyes started to water as he felt himself enter an atmosphere that didn't belong on Asgard. The pressure around him was intense and he held Mjöllnir high above his head and used the power of Thor to push the pressure away from him. It worked to a certain degree and he drew in a deep breath realising until now he had been holding it. He looked behind him and realised he was alone in this unusual atmosphere. He was on the inside-edge of a round barrier that was about six metres in diameter. His friends and the Asgardians were all clustered around the circle on the other side and he saw them through what looked like a shimmery waterfall. They were mouthing things at him he could not hear and Volstagg was pushing at the wall but unable to enter. He looked at his hammer and realised that only he had access to this strange anomaly. He took a step forward, and then another, the pressure increasing as he tried to move towards the centre.

A resounding boom began from the centre of the circle and pushed its way outwards in a wide arc of pale green light and noise. Thor was pushed off his feet but Mjöllnir kept him upright. Everyone around fell backwards from the circle which had blown itself outwards. The whine was gone but then so too was all sound. The noise of the boom had been so loud that all he could hear was a minute ringing in his ears. He looked around him and saw his people pulling themselves and others up. Sif was looking towards Thor and moving her mouth but Thor could hear nothing. He realised suddenly that Sif was looking at something behind him rather than at him. He turned around and saw a strange being in the centre of the circle. It was shorter than him and in a strange white outfit that covered its entire body including its face. The thing wore a helmet which was mostly black thus he could see nothing of the creature inside.

"Who are you and where have you come from?" Thor said, hoping he was speaking aloud because he couldn't hear himself.

The apparition took a step towards him and raised its hand.

"I am warning you. If you mean harm to my people you will suffer for it." Thor said.

The being took another step towards him and Thor couldn't risk the safety of his people. The strange apparition had already briefly incapacitated his people and he couldn't allow such a thing again.

Thor started pulling his Mjöllnir upwards and tried to use it to immobilise the creature with a little wind but the hammer wouldn't respond.

"Hammer, what are you..." He managed to get out before the being in white touched him. And then all sensation left him as he ceased to be.

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><p><strong>Oh well, so much for staying under 1000 words a chapter. I suppose I'd better stick to what I'm used to which is letting my fingers do all the talking...<strong>

**Hope you like this chapter... if I've made any inaccuracies (Marvel Thor comic versus Marvel Thor Movie) with spellings and Asgardian objects and words please forgive me. I really don't know my Thor (except that of the movie!) And I did cheat and look up a few things to try and make it Thorian (I've just invented a word – yay me).**

**A quick thank you to my lovely husband who helped out with the medical terms used with Jane (I couldn't make that up in a million years!) :)  
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**Hope you're having a great day - wherever you are x.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Slight change in format with this chapter. Will be starting with the usual character POV but then there will be a slight overlap so we get the other character's POV at the same time. I sort of hope that makes sense.**

**And thank you all for all the wonderful feedback. If you've signed in when writing to me I will always respond. I love feedback, good or bad and appreciate you taking the time to read my story.**

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><p>Time and reality had ceased to exist and he was immersed in a pressure of black. He felt nothing, saw nothing and could hear nothing. All was void. Thor felt his mind slipping – this sensation was too difficult to comprehend and he couldn't tell if he had lived seconds, minutes or indeed weeks in this strange nullity. He tried to move but his body was a dead-weight to him.<p>

This strangeness continued before his eyes and mind were overwhelmed with a flash of brilliant colour. All colours were muted together to form something more powerful than the Rainbow Bridge's infinite beauty. But before Thor could register the brilliance of it his feet connected with something hard and unforgiving and he staggered forward. He looked around him trying to get his bearings but he could hardly see. The ghosts of the swirling colours from the nothingness before danced against everything he looked at. He loathed his body for being weak at such a critical moment. He called out to his friends but heard no words escape his lips. He put his hands in front of him and breathed a sigh of relief in realising that Mjöllnir was still clutched tightly in his right hand. He turned slowly around knowing he was currently immobilised should the creature choose to attack him. He bumped into something and moved quickly away from it. He needed his vision back. He blinked a few times willing his eyes to cooperate and his sight slowly fought itself from the peripheral of his vision towards full clarity. He blinked a few more times and Darcy came into view. Behind her stood Erik. They were staring at him in shock and he assumed his face showed the same emotion.

Darcy. And Erik. Here with him in a large grey room. Thor took a step towards them. And then fell to his knees, the hammer slamming into the concrete as the full weight of realisation hit him. Darcy. And Erik. And therefore Jane.

He turned his head and the strange being clothed in white with the sinister black helmet was directly behind him. The left hand was banging the side of the helmet and the right hand pointing at Darcy.

Darcy ran towards the creature in white and started unclipping the buckles around the helmet.

Erik walked over to Thor and tentatively placed his hand on Thor's shoulder. Thor looked up at the wise man who in so short a time had become his friend. Thor put his full weight on the hammer and used it to push himself up. He grasped Erik's hand in both his own and nodded at him briefly before letting go and turning to face Darcy. He watched as she slowly lifted the helmet away.

Thor stood immobilised as the helmet was slowly lifted from her face. She looked at him. He stared right back. For the first time in his life he felt a moment of panic. Jane stood before him and he remembered his last words to her. He had broken his promise. But Jane had found him again. He stared at her and tried to smile but didn't know if he succeeded.

For a moment she was taken from his view. Darcy stood in the way slowly doing something or other to take the suit off. A few minutes passed and then Jane was standing to the side of the suit. She took a step towards him and swayed dangerously. Thor automatically stretched out his hand to her which she took instantly. She closed the distance and stood right in front of him. He held her hand gently between his large fingers, rubbing his thumb over her palm, scarcely daring to believe he was here with her.

She was looking up at him and talking. He saw the lips move and heard faint sounds coming from what seemed a distance away. She was shaking her head from side to side. He tried to tell her that he couldn't hear her but didn't know if she understood.

She carried on moving her lips, speaking to him with things he couldn't hear. She pulled her hand out of his and reached upwards, her finger touching his lower lip. He revelled in this intimate moment and smiled at her. Her finger moved and was joined by the other three as she slowly moved her hand over his cheek. Her touch felt like fire across his skin and each hair on his beard almost tingling from her tracing fingers. He reached out towards her and she backed away, her hand leaving his face. He looked at her in bewilderment and her face showed two emotions which hurt him deeply. Anger. Anger and sadness. She was talking to him, although her face and body made him wonder if she was shouting. All he heard was a faint whisper of sound, nothing more. She pushed at him as he reached for her. She was really livid now, the colour in her cheek a deep plush and her eyes narrowed to slits. She raised her hand and slapped him. He had predicted it from the movement in her wrist but he did nothing to stop it. He deserved it although it inwardly hurt him.

**# # # # # #**

Jane looked at Thor and felt the same sense of disquiet she had felt on setting foot on Asgard. He was standing only a few feet from her and looking around him in shock and bewilderment. Darcy was helping her out of the suit, struggling with a tight buckle and for a few moments she could no longer see him as Darcy stood in the way. With Thor gone from her view she switched gears to thinking about all that had happened in the last few minutes. She had actually landed on Asgard after months of failed attempts. Thor had been standing right in front of her. But she had seen the terrible effect of her jump on the people in Asgard. In space she couldn't tell what effect a jump caused to the immediate environment. But the people had been lying on the floor, clutching each other and covering their ears. A few people had been screaming. A minority were still standing. Thor was one of them, standing directly in front of her. She had then made that split second decision to touch him and take him back with her.

The costume was finally off and she stepped out of it feeling that awful dizziness that always accompanied a jump. She started falling, her senses off kilter. Thor stretched out his hand towards her and she grasped it gratefully. He pulled her upright and she moved towards him. Their bodies were only two or three inches apart and she could feel the heat of his gaze upon her. She focused for a moment on her hand which was being held tightly in his. His thumb was brushing little patterns on her palm and she shivered from the contact. It seemed that even after all this time he still somehow managed to hold her captivated.

With the greatest of difficulty she raised her head to look at him. His beautiful cerulean eyes were staring intently at her and the corners of his mouth were turned up in a tiny smile. She wanted to hate him for putting her through such misery. But how could she when he was looking at her so intently, and with such passion in his eyes?

"I was determined to find a way to you Thor." She whispered. "You didn't come back for me as you promised. I've been hoping all this time that there is a reason why. And even though you didn't I still needed to see you again." She stopped talking, searching his eyes for some form of acknowledgement, but he just continued to stare at her.

"I needed to have closure. I needed to find you in order to know why you didn't return to me." She shook her head wondering if she had said too much.

Without thinking Jane reached out and touched his lower lip. He was smiling so sweetly at her and she felt so alone at this very moment not knowing what he would say to her. Their love had been so brief and so long ago. Did he still love her or was he going to gently tell her to leave him be. Her finger moved from the side of his mouth and she gently moved her fingers along his cheek. "Why didn't you return Thor?"

Thor reached towards her and suddenly she felt vulnerable, as if she had given away too much. She backed away from him, feeling anger at his silence.

"Well?" She said, hating the way her voice sounded. "You broke your promise. Why didn't you come back?"

He was no longer smiling, his face looking slightly angry. His hands were reaching out to her again and she pushed him away savagely.

"Just have the courage to tell me that you no longer care for me." She spat. "I'll send you right back and won't bother you again."

He looked angry and upset and still he hadn't said a word. She raised her hand and slapped him across the face. She felt horrifically sick. A combination of the jump and all her terbulant feelings had caught her off guard. She looked at her hand and then Thor's face where there was a deep red mark where she had hit him.

She felt instantly remourceful.

"Erik?" She said. "I need you."

She walked a few steps away and happily grabbed Erik's profurred hand and he manouvered her into a chair. She grabbed the coke in his hand and drank it watching Thor all the while. He hadn't turned towards her and she felt terrible. She hadn't yet heard his side of the story and she knew better than to judge on so little information.

The sugar was helping and she felt a little more in control. Erik meanwhile had been checking her brain activity after having placed the three electrodes on her forehead. He removed them gently.

"You're fine Jane." He said to Jane thinking she didn't look fine at all.

He gently patted her on the shoulder.

"Darcy? Come here." Darcy rushed over to them. She had been surrepticiously watching Thor from the side and enjoying the view.

"Yeah sorry. Got a little distracted." She said.

"Darcy. We're going to leave." Darcy made as if to complain but Erik shushed her.

"You've found what you were looking for Jane." He said, pointing in Thor's direction. "Now go and find it." He took hold of Darcy and had to practically drag her from the large room. He exited through the door and closed it behind him.

Jane looked towards Thor and stood up. She felt extremely nervous. She had just hit a three hundred pound God across the face and left a mark. And for no other reason but her pride.

"Thor?" She said tentatively, walking slowly towards him. "I'm so sorry."

# # # # # #

He deserved the slap. He had promised her he would return for her and take her to Asgard. He had broken that promise. He had had a choice - the destruction of an entire race or her love. He had chosen the Frost Giants. He didn't regret his decision for a moment. But he wondered what the price would be regarding Jane. He had searched for a way back but all avenues had been closed to him. He had spoken from time to time with Heimdall who had told him of Jane's progress in her search for him. He had hoped to one day see her again, and he was here, with her.

He thought of her touching him briefly just minutes before. He wondered if she still loved him. Love was a strong and powerful emotion and could easily turn to hate.

"...We're going to leave..."

Erik's voice. The distant background noise had disappeared and Thor could finally hear properly.

"You've found what you were looking for Jane. Now go and find it." Erik's voice again. Two sets of footsteps walking away. A buzzing sound from some machine close by. Jane's breathing, hitching at the end of each breath. A footstep. And another.

"Thor?" Jane said. He squared his shoulders and turned to face her.

"I'm so sorry." Jane said.

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><p><strong>Under 1000 words, she said. Under 1000 words. Ha de ha ha.<strong>

**This was actually really hard to write. The build up when Thor realises where he is. **Trying to capture the first time they lay eyes on each other. **That was tough. Sorry if it's not as powerful as I had hoped.**

**And apologies in advance. This week-end is going to be incredibly busy. The next chapter will only come up on Tuesday due to having a ridiculously busy life - sorry for the delay!  
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**So have a lovely week-end and you'll read from me again in four days time...**

_And I only guessed the weight of Thor/Chris. I have absolutely no idea. He did an interview where he said Thor was like 500 pounds or something. But he would never get anywhere near that. So I just randomly guessed._**  
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	4. Chapter 4

**A new chapter as promised :) Enjoy!**

**Just picked up the Thor soundtrack by Patrick Doyle - wow! Some of the tracks are so beautiful - and also great to listen to whilst writing a fanfic :)  
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><p>"I'm so sorry." Jane said.<p>

Thor stared at Jane and took a large step towards her, towering over her small frame.

"You're sorry?" Thor said, clearly puzzled. "What in Odin's name do you have to be sorry about?"

Jane raised her eyebrows at so obvious an answer.

"I slapped you." She said.

"Yet I deserved it. I made a promise to you which I then failed to keep."

"I still shouldn't have slapped you. It was only because when we arrived back here and I was asking you all those questions you didn't answer a single one." Jane said. "I mean, I didn't even know if you wanted to return. And I just basically kidnapped you without any sort of explanation."

"I have wanted to return to you since the moment I left you Jane. It was an utter marvel when you appeared to me on Asgard." Thor said. "But somehow it sent my senses off kilter. For a while I couldn't see or feel or hear you or anything else. "

"You couldn't hear me?" Jane said, the pieces starting to fall into place.

"Not a word." Thor said, shaking his head.

"Then I'm even more sorry for slapping you. It didn't occur to me that the mighty Thor might have been affected by the jump." She raised her eyebrows a little, grinning up at him.

"And you? Are you feeling better?" Thor was smiling back at her and she felt almost dizzy again. He was smiling so sweetly and standing so close. She remembered her initial fears but seeing Thor look at her with such feeling started to embolden her.

She again asked those questions she so desperately wanted answers to.

"Why did you not return Thor?"

He looked at her and then looked away.

"I had a choice to make." He said quietly.

Jane's heart plummeted at hearing these words. He had a choice and he had not chosen her. The way he was smiling at her was affection for a friend – not a long lost lover. Her original assumptions had been correct. He was going to let her down gently.

"Yes?" She prodded, wanting to finish this conversation and just return him home so she could try and piece her life back together again. A life without a God named Thor.

"I returned to Asgard and found that my brother Loki had set the Bifröst on a planet called Jotunheim, the home of the Frost Giants. Keeping the Bifröst focused on that planet had started to rip the planet apart." Jane inwardly smiled as she watched Thor who was getting more animated and less self-conscious as he told his tale. "Loki hoped to earn his father's love with the genocide of a race of beings who had sworn to destroy us. Before I came to Earth and met you I would have agreed with Loki about their destruction. But after meeting you I changed Jane. I couldn't condone their death and the only way to do that was to destroy the Bifröst, my only way back to you."

Jane looked up at this wonderful man who had brought so much into her life in such a short time. He was looking down earnestly at her and she felt herself once again becoming lost in those azure eyes.

"So you wanted to return." She whispered.

It was only then, with the words Jane had just uttered that he realised that she didn't actually believe that he still wanted her. He didn't understand her confusion. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever met, and so kind and clever. But she continued to look at him with a mixture of hope and doubt. He seized her towards him and knelt a little so he was more at level with her.

"I have wanted to return to you every single day since leaving you here on Earth." He said, his voice a deep rumble that caused her heart to beat a little faster. "I have needed you beside me Jane. On Asgard. I would have done anything save destroying another race or being to return to you."

Jane reached out and took his face between her hands. She leaned in.

"So you always wanted to return to me. So you still feel something for me."

"Jane. I still love you."

She reeled back from him in shock. He almost felt as shocked as she did. He hadn't intended to say something so important so early in their reunion. But it now seemed fitting... and right.

Jane leaned in towards him, her hands on either side of his head. She bent further towards him and kissed him at the corner of his mouth.

"To hear you say that," she said, her hands moving down the sides of his face and gently resting on his shoulders. "Is something I never thought I would hear in my wildest dreams. And I feel the same for you Thor." And Jane added quietly to herself. "So unlike me to feel something so strong for a man I hardly know."

She took a step backwards to give herself some space and Thor gently but firmly filled it up again by taking a similar step towards her.

She laughed. Her voice was the sweet sound of distant bells and childish joy. A sound he had missed more than anything else.

That sound was what finally made him realise that he would never let this woman go. He would fight for her for the rest of his long life just to carry on hearing her laugh. He would bring her to Asgard and make her his and give her the power of immortality. He would never leave her side again.

He pulled her towards him almost violently and bent towards her and kissed her. Jane opened her mouth in shock and he slid his tongue in. It took her less than a second to respond. His arms had wrapped around her body and she pushed herself even closer to him with her lips crushed against his. Her tongue dipped forwards and touched his and their kiss grew even more passionate and urgent. Jane moaned deeply into his mouth, having wanted this since the brief kiss they had shared so long ago.

Thor eventually pushed back a little from her after a final kiss on her lower lip. He took hold of Jane's hand and held it in both of his.

"I can no longer promise anything to you Jane." He said, his breathing a little more rugged. "I broke the last promise I made to you."

"Okay. You've mentioned that enough and now I know the reasons I agree wholehearted that you did the right thing." Jane said.

"Yes but..."

"But nothing." Jane replied. "I'm actually quite proud of you." She said looking at him solemnly.

"Jane. I wish to take you back with me to Asgard. Do you wish to accompany me?" Thor asked just as solemnly.

Jane's face lit up. "We can return anytime now the coordinates from the previous jump are set." She looked towards her machines longingly. The scientist part of her was itching to press a few buttons and key in some data. "And now I know where I'll land I don't need to wear that ridiculously uncomfortable outfit."

"It suited you." Thor said, grinning.

"Ha ha." She wacked him gently on the arm.

She walked over to the machines and started pressing buttons and typing commands. She then went to the white suit that had been her constant companion for the past two months and breathed a sigh of relief knowing she wouldn't need to wear it for a while. In the centre of the suit was a large circular object which Jane removed. Affectionately named the bubble due to its raised translucent surface Jane threaded a thin piece of metal chain through two spokes on the side and clicked the chain together. She then placed it around her neck.

She walked back towards Thor who had been watching her all the while. She grabbed his hand and clutched it tightly and he squeezed her gently, looking down at her.

"What happens now?" He said.

"I just press this button and we return to your home."

Jane looked down at the bubble and thought about what she was about to do. She was taking nothing with her, she had everything she needed beside her. She pressed the bubble down and she was gone only a fraction of a second before Thor followed.

**# # # # # #**

The door at the far end of the room crashed open and Erik ran inside. He had heard the crumpling sound of power and noise that always accompanied a jump. He looked around him hoping against hope that Jane would be somewhere in the room. Darcy followed a little behind.

"They've gone." Erik said shocked.

"Well duh!" Darcy exclaimed. "What did you expect leaving them alone in here without my supervision."

"I didn't think they would go." He reiterated shaking his head.

"Let me break it down for you. Jane obsessed with finding gorgeous blonde guy. She finally finds him, comes back here with him. You shoo us out of the room and close the door leaving the love birds alone behind. Well, he's gonna want to show her off to the family."

"Yes. But she hasn't got a clue about where she's going and what she's doing."

"Well neither do you." Darcy countered. "And something tells me she's gonna be pretty safe with the big guy."

"I never said goodbye."

At that Darcy calmed down. "No. But I'm sure she'll be back soon." She said.

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><p><strong>:) Thanks for reading (:<strong>


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you for your lovely reviews :) - you can't imagine how in love I am with all of you right now... and Thor... mustn't forget Thor, mmm really love Thor - his gorgeous hot body... his blue blue eyes... his scrummy blonde hair and trim beard... his deep powerful voice... Chris being Australian in real life (love the Aussies!)... okay, really gotta stop rambling now. And still don't own Thor (that's hopefully Jane's role in this - although have to wait to Thor II before anything happens (as long as they don't pull a Spiderman III on us!) and don't own Chris (his wife Elsa has that pleasure). But do own my own sweet guy who I've been married to for the past 11 1/2 years. You're my rock baby and I love you!**

**Yes hubby, I do go a little barmy after only one glass of good white wine. You should know that by now. But hey, I find it so much easier to write - it's really hard to shut me up. Oh what? Yeah, okay... really should get on with the story!**

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><p>Jane was hunched over three amazingly preserved manuscripts that were at least ten thousand years old. The weathered pages showed early plans and diagrams of the construction of the Rainbow Bridge and Jane was thoroughly immersed as she jotted down numbers and descriptions.<p>

The doors crashed open behind her and she jumped, shocked out of her reverie.

"Thor, King of Asgard wishes to enter."

Jane chuckled to herself. She had been on Asgard three days now and in that time had been introduced to all Thor's friends and family. Although family at this present time had been his mother, Frigga. Thor's father was still in his Odinsleep and Loki was dead. Everyone Jane met had been courteous and kind to her. Frigga had gently enclosed Jane's hand in both of hers and Sif had given her a hug and seemed to be truly happy for her. Later the first day Jane had expressed her interest in learning about the power of the Bifröst. Everyone had been helpful and many of the greatest minds in the realm had been summoned by Thor to assist her. Another facet had been Thor's sweet idea that when Jane was holed up in one of the subchambers of the library she was not to be disturbed unless she wished it. This was only the second time that she had heard the words from the guard that Thor, the King of Asgard wished to see her and she had the right to say no. Not that she ever would, she wished she could spend every moment in his company, but Kings were busy people. The love that had started as a tiny flame only days earlier had flared into a burning blaze.

"Let him enter." She said, trying to make her voice sound more impressive then it really was.

The guard swept aside and Thor strode in, wearing his full regalia and bearing the hammer in his hand. The guard closed the door behind him. Thor's face lit up at seeing her and she stood up and stretched her muscles from being hunched over the papers for so long. He grabbed her in a hug and lifted her up easily.

"Put me down you big galoot." She said, laughing as he twirled her around.

"You love it really." Thor said, carrying her over to a lounger in the corner of the room. He threw her down mercilessly and she lay sprawled out, trying to catch her breath from laughing so hard.

He bent down and twirled his fingers in her hair, pulling her head back a little and sweeping his whispering lips down her throat from her ear. She arched into him at the familiar contact at one of her sensitive spots. One of his hands disentangled from her hair and roved down the other side of her throat, gently touching her clothed skin and moving south and lightly drifting the tips of his fingers over her left breast before resting on her stomach. She sucked in her breath and bit her lower lip, her hands weaving into his silky mane and pulling him closer to her. He knew what she wanted and after a little nip on the side of her throat he kissed a tiny trail up her neck, over her chin and sucked on her lower lip. Her lips closed over his and her tongue brushed against his upper lip. He shifted position and opened his mouth to her and she entered, her tongue grazing his upper teeth and pushing against the roof of his mouth. He continued to kiss her slowly and thoroughly, his tongue remaining firmly in his mouth as he played with hers. Jane started to feel lightheaded and breathlessly she removed her tongue from his mouth and placed small kisses over his lower lip and bearded chin, touching the tip of her tongue to each one. She reached his adams apple and sucked a little there and he swallowed causing her to move to the right of his throat, kissing sweetly before biting him hard at the nape of his neck. He gasped and she grinned, kissing him a few more times on that spot, whilst one of her hands traveled down his chest, going further and further south before his hand grasped hers and stopped it in its tracks.

"Enough Jane." He said, gasping.

She pursed her lips and moaned at him. Angry that he had again stopped proceedings from taking their natural course.

"You know I've gone further before." She pouted. "It would be best if we didn't start if we always have to stop." She said, pushing him off.

"Ah but where's the fun in that darling Jane." Thor responded. "I know you are not a maiden. And I'm not exactly innocent to the bonding of love either. But I want you to be mine fully in marriage before we are together for the first time."

Jane pushed Thor off her and maneuvered him to the floor with her striding atop him. "You're such a romantic." She lent in and touched his nose with hers and then kissed it. "Love you." She said.

Thor grabbed her around her waist and pulled her to him and they cuddled together there on the floor, content in each other and nothing else. They lay together like that for many minutes, light touches and sweet caresses, linked together in harmony and love.

"How is your research going?" Thor asked.

"It's absolutely fascinating. I have learnt so much from the writings of your past. And discussing such matters with your scholars and wise men is liberating. I just can't understand why they weren't able to build the Bifröst before. The possibilities in creating such an important tool are endless. And even after only two days of discussions with your people and the reading matter given to me I have been thinking of many ways around the problems presented." Jane paused to draw in a breath. "There is a real possibility of creating a new Bifröst in only a few months." She stretched out a little on his chest and shifted her head from the hard metal covering his breast. "Definitely not your most comfortable outfit Thor." She said.

"Well this was created for War and Kingship. I don't think the designers thought that a lady might lie upon it." Thor replied, stroking her hair.

"So you're serious aren't you." He said. "A new Bifröst can be made."

"Absolutely. It's just a matter of how to go about it, getting access to the right materials and the time it will take to build." Jane said. "And I'm sure Heimdall wouldn't mind having something to protect again."

Thor laughed. "Yes, Heimdall has been a bit moody of late."

Jane laughed along with him. "When Volstagg said he missed the hospitality of the Dwarves from Nidavellir who made the best mead in all the realms Heimdall's face went positively grim."

"He's missing his duties." Thor relaxed back down with an arm behind his head. "I think we've all missed the beauty and the power that the possession of the Rainbow Bridge gave us."

"I'm just curious Thor. If the Bifrost is such an important part of your culture then surely the rebuilding of the structure would have been Asgard's number one priority?"

"Yes I agree with you Jane. But Odin has his own plans." Thor looked troubled. "When you tell me that the people in my realm could have made the Bifröst by now I am curious as to why nothing was done about it. It is a matter I will discuss with my father upon his awakening."

Thor sat up and Jane was made to sit up with him. He placed his hands on either side of her face and kissed her lips briefly and gently. "But first I will introduce him to the most beautiful and perfect woman in all the realms."

Jane laughed. "You have an extremely partial view of me."

"But doesn't every man who becomes enchanted by a woman. And soon you will be mine."

Jane laughed. "Yes. Well I'm sure it won't be as easy as all that."

"But of course it will." Thor declared, "as soon as Odin awakens we will set a date and all Asgard will rejoice in our union."

"Not as much as we will once the getting married part is finally over." Jane murmured cheekily.

"You beautiful tease." Thor said, kissing her again.

Jane wrapped her arms tightly around him and returned the kiss. They carried on enthusiastically not realising that they were being watched and had been watched for the past few minutes.

Frigga turned away from the porthole where she had been spying on them. She felt guilty at catching them in a compromising moment and had only followed her son in order to discuss the celebrations that would take place when Odin woke up. But she had seen what she most feared. This was not some small romance Thor was indulging in as he would have in the past. It was now obvious to Frigga how much he loved her. Frigga herself cared for Jane and had seen her qualities and the love she had for her son. But she worried. She knew her son and she knew her husband. They were so similar and both so stubborn. She hoped that Odin would go easy on the boy and allow him to have Jane as his mate. All she knew was that matters were out of her hands and only Odin would decide what the future held for Thor and Jane. Frigga left the two lovers alone and walked back to Odin's chambers and sat beside her sleeping husband.

"Why did you stop the rebuilding of the Bifrost?" She said, looking down at him. "What are you keeping from me?"

Frigga leaned back in her chair and shut her eyes. Odin had a plan. He always did. And it wasn't always agreeable. But her husband knew best and she had to let the story play itself out as she always did, staying in the background and helping out those he left behind. She wondered where Dr Jane Foster featured in the plot.

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><p><strong>And now a little interlude to all those who wanted to know what would happen when Jane first touched down with Thor on Asgard:<strong>

**_Jane: Wow. Big shiny building. Disco dancing Rainbow Bridge!_**

**_Thor: Me heap big proud man to be mighty king of Asgard with pretty lady Jane by my side._**

**_The Warriors Three step forward._**

**_Fandral to Jane: So Jane, if it doesn't work out between the two of you, then I'm available. Nothing long term you understand. Just a night here and there._**

**_Jane, eyeing him up: I will definitely take that into consideration, but I want to check out Thor's mighty Hammer first._**

**_Hogun: Yes, but I have mighty big sword._**

**_Volstagg grabbing her into a bear-hug: Do you like lamb chops in mint sauce?_**

**_Sif comes forward: You stole the God of my dreams and have better tits than me but I mighty fine player of Tiddleywinks and could beat you anytime._**

**_Frigga comes forward: Sif... be nice to Thor's latest squeeze ... in a very very long line of squeezes. Welcome to Asgard Jane. _**

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><p><strong>Erm ... okay ... just ignore the above as in seriously ignore it (just a little parody and nothing to do with the REAL story!) and have a great day :) x<em><br>_**


	6. Chapter 6

**My longest chapter yet :)**

**Enjoy!**

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><p>Jane took the heavy Uru goblet from Frigga's hands and almost spilled it. The cup started to fall from her grasp but Thor's hands enclosed her own and he helped her raise it. His smile warmed her heart and gave her the courage to take the next step. She drunk deeply from the goblet as she had been instructed to do and then handed the goblet back to Frigga who took it and placed it on the raised platform. As soon as the cup touched the platform the surfaces became translucent and then disappeared.<p>

Jane looked at Thor a little sheepishly. "I don't feel any different." She said. Thor laughed loudly and hugged her and Frigga smiled at their affection.

"You may not feel any different Jane Foster. But believe me when I tell you that you are now one of us. The liquid is water from a natural spring found at the bottom of the Enchanted Chasm of Valhalla, a realm of the dead. The goblet is made from the finest Uru, the same material which forged Mjölnir." Frigga said proudly. "The liquid may take a few moments to travel through your physical form but soon you will be on the way to Immortality. But a brief warning Jane. You must continue to drink a mouthful at least every few hours for your first few months if you wish to enjoy the powers of Immortality. After that you will eventually be able to stop as your physical matter will have joined the ranks of the greatest race in all eternity, the Asgardians."

Jane nodded, already feeling slightly different, less insecure about herself . A larger feeling of worth and substance fulfilled her although she couldn't fully explain it to herself.

"Mother." Thor said. "I thank you for all you have done for us. But shouldn't we now wait for father to awaken before proceeding with the Ceremony of Future Matrimony?"

"Your father has remained in his Odinsleep for longer than usual and the people grow restless for the Celebration. Beginning proceedings with the future joining of you and Jane will bode well with the people."

Thor nodded, smiling happily at the thought that soon they would be promised to each other in front of all Asgardians. Then they would need to wait only one month before they could be joined in Marriage. They retired from Frigga's company and both went to their chambers to prepare for the beginnings of the celebrations.

# # # # # #

Thor walked down the long corridor of the Throne Room, one arm resting gently on the shoulder of his future bride, the other holding the hammer in his hand, smiling at his friends. Jane walked a half-step to the side of him, keeping pace with the magnificent music echoing throughout the room. Thor looked triumphant and spectacular, wearing his warrior costume as if he had been born into it. Jane looked resplendent walking beside him, a long billowing gown of palest blush upon her exquisite frame, her hair pulled up in loose ringlets entwined with Dianthoria Diamonds and a sweet smile upon her face.

Frigga watched the happy couple and tried to feel the same emotion. But Odin still slept and although she knew the signs of his eventual awakening she had started the Celebrations without him. She didn't know what Odin would do when he found that the ceremony of matrimonial beginnings had been made without him. But even he could not break them up once they had spoken the sacred vows. And that is what she feared above all else. Odin hadn't allowed the Rainbow Bridge to be rebuilt and thus had prevented the reunion of the two lovers. But she saw inside their hearts and felt the bond between them. She wished them to be promised to each other before Odin did something they would all regret. And here they were, walking down the aisle. Jane nervous and happy and Thor a proud warrior beside the woman he loved.

Thor and Jane continued walking towards the front of the room with the Asgardians cheering and showing their pleasure, throwing flower petals along the path at their present and future King and Queen of Asgard.

They finally stood before Frigga who wore a beautiful wine coloured dress with silver starlets in her hair. She held her Sigil in her hand and pointed it first at Jane. She rang out in a clear pure voice.

"By all that is good and true in the Realm of Asgard, the Realm of Infinite Beings and the Light of the Universe. Do you Jane, daughter of Michael and Doctor of Science. Do you take Thor, my beloved first-born as your future mate? Will you be his and only his for time immortal?"

Jane looked at Thor, her hands enclosed within his. The love shone forth from her eyes and a sweet smile played upon her lips.

She recited the words she had learnt earlier. "I am but one and therefore not complete. I ask you Thor to take my love forever and remain mine and only mine until the ends of time. I may not be your wife today but ask of you that you take me as yours some day soon." She then bent one leg and knelt a few inches lower and kissed his hand. She raised herself and sighed, her part in this play was done.

Frigga turned to her son and smiled at him. He didn't look at her as all his attention was focused on Jane. As it should be.

"Before the eyes of your people. Before the Stars and Planets and Creations of our Universe. Before all that has been, all that is and all that ever will be. Do you Thor, son of Odin and future King of Asgard. Do you take..."

"I think I should be present when my first-born son is about to take such an important step Frigga."

A murmur went through the gathered crowd as all eyes turned towards Odin who stood on the highest step above his wife and child. He looked regal and fully alert after his nine day sleep. Frigga knew that he had entered the stage at the most inopportune moment which was probably his intention. He nodded to Frigga who returned the gesture, bowing her head deferentially and walking backwards along her step.

"Welcome Odin back to the Realm of the Immortal Living. It would be my honour and privilege as your wife to relinquish the task which has befallen me." Odin nodded his head at Frigga as she continued. "Would you please take over this most important and magnificent of roles and bind your son and his future wife in the Ceremony of Future Matrimony?"

Odin walked slowly down the stairs and stood before the two lovers who looked back at him. Thor was looking apprehensively at his father whilst Jane continued to smile radiantly.

Odin nodded first at Jane and then Thor and raised his staff and slammed it on the ground. Jane felt the knife edge of vibration travel through her body and she shivered slightly. She suddenly felt a little cold. She looked at Thor who was looking back at his father, his expression impossible to read. He then looked towards her again and smiled but it didn't reach his eyes.

"Jane has completed her side of the Ceremony. It is now Thor's turn to complete his." Odin said this quietly but his voice carried to the furthest reaches of the large ornate chamber, as was the power of Odin. He looked towards his son.

"Thor. My first-born son. Future heir of the throne of Asgard. Immortal. Warrior. Continuation of the line of Odin. " Thor took a deep breath and relaxed. His father was continuing the tradition and although the wording had slightly altered all seemed to be well. He grinned at Jane who looked relieved at the sincerity. Odin continued talking.

"Do you Thor, promise to relinquish your future matrimony with this mortal from Midgard? Do you promise to remove her back to her home and never see her again?" Thor looked up in horror and saw his father's deathly calm eye staring back at him. "Will you cease this perilous whim and path you have chosen to disgrace your people by choosing a lowly Earthian as your future mate forever?"

Jane looked at Thor and then towards the God she had never known and she felt sick to the stomach. She loosened her hands from Thors and lowered her head, humiliated but not surprised. She had been wondering when her bubble of a dream would end.

Thor stood still as a statue, his jaw making the only movement but being momentarily stunned into silence. Frigga looked at her son and husband in horror and knew that Odin had planned this all along. But it seemed that Odin was not done yet.

"Thor, my first-born son. The one who will produce his own heir to the throne one day and must have only the purest blood as his future mate. Thor, you would destroy our world with such a choice? Surely you must understand this could never be."

Thor's hand was flexing dangerously over the Hammer and still he did not speak. Sif watched these proceedings silently and knew she could not help Thor who might kill her accidentally if she tried. But Jane was another matter. Sif rushed forward and hugged Jane.

"Come now Jane. It is best you are not here right now." She pulled at Jane's hands and Jane slowly backed away from the God she loved, away from hope and moving ever closer to despair.

During this time Odin cracked his staff upon the ground and turned away from his son and his wife and left the room he had so silently entered.

# # # # # #

Jane was led to Sif's quarters and Sif gently pushed her towards her bed and made her sit down. Jane was still in shock at what had just happened. Thor had warned her that his father could be quite stubborn at the best of times but he had assured her numerous times that no one would stand in the way of their love.

But Jane knew now that she had been foolish. She was from Earth and however intelligent she may be she still was considered a lesser being than the Asgardians. She was on a different realm. Living a fabled existence. The power of Immortality inside her. These were things beyond any previous experience but she thought she had coped well with the changes. And she had been so in love and so naive that she had truly believed that she would one day be Thor's wife. She realised that she had been entirely mistaken. And then she realised that she couldn't allow Thor to make such a mistake as marry her, however long her life could be extended. Odin was right and he was the King. She realised what she had to do and she knew she would have to be very brave to go through with it.

# # # # # #

"You don't understand anything." Thor was shouting at his father, his hammer raised, his anger beyond anything he had ever felt before.

Thor and Odin were alone in a side-chamber to the Throne Room. The doors were sealed and Thor was pacing backwards and forwards like a man possessed. Which he was. Possessed with his love for Jane and rage at his father.

"I understand more than you can possibly imagine." Odin answered resolutely. "You cannot have her and you will not disobey me in this matter."

"You have banished me once. I dare you to do it again, father. I want her and if I can't have her on Asgard I will return with her to Earth and make her mine on that lesser planet, as you called it."

"You will do no such thing. She is..."

Jane continued to listen outside the large doors, the two guards on either side doing nothing to stop her from standing there. Tears ran down her face and she took a deep breath and braced herself for the encounter to come. She had the chained bubble secure around her neck and touched it sadly. She looked at the guards but they continued to ignore her. She pushed the large doors open and entered the room, the doors slamming shut behind her. The sound of Thor's shouting stopped the minute he saw her.

"Jane." He said, his voice a moment in agony. He rushed over to her and embraced her. She hugged him fiercely back but looked towards his father who was standing there with almost a look of compassion in his eyes. She nodded at him briefly and he nodded in return as if he understood what she was about to do.

She pushed back from Thor and continued staring at Odin. He continued to stare at her and she looked away, wiping at her face to try and remove the tears.

"Thor." She said. "I am returning to Earth."

Thor looked at her as if she was mad. "Don't let my father bully you Jane. I will marry you today. He will not stand it our way."

"No he will not." She said, again looking towards the great God Odin. "But I will."

Jane put her hands on the button.

"I love you Thor more than you can possibly imagine. And it's because of that love that I will leave you and you will never see me again."

"Don't say that. Don't do this. Don't let him do this." Thor reiterated.

"Eternity is a long time Thor. And Odin is your father and he is a great man. I will not stand in the way of your relationship with your father."

"I have none. It ceased to exist once he turned away from us."

"You feel that now but what will you feel in a hundred years? Or a thousand?" Jane shook her head sadly, her tears still falling silently. She had to leave soon before her resolve left her. "You need each other and I will not stand in the way."

"But you don't understand Jane. You completed the words of the ceremony. Even if you leave me to live on Earth you can never have another. The power, the magic of the words you uttered means you will be mine until the end of time even if I cannot be yours."

"No Thor." Odin said quietly behind them. "Jane has showed her courage by coming here. I will give her a gift. The power of forgetting you and everything she has seen since she met you. Then she will be free of her bond."

Whilst Thor's words had shocked her, Odin's words chilled her to the core. To forget all about Thor. Everything he had given her. That was worse than never having the power to love another, never baring a child from that love. She didn't want anyone else but Thor and if she couldn't have him she would happily remain alone her entire life.

"I would never accept that Odin." She said. "I wish to always remember Thor. I could never love another."

Odin looked at her and then at Thor.

"I am doing this for you." He said. "And for my son. If you forget him then he will not try and see you again."

Odin raised his staff and Jane realised what he was about it do. She pressed the bubble and was gone as Thor's hand reached out to her and Odin's staff hit the ground.

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><p><strong>Finished by midnight - as I promised :D<strong>

**I have done my research and tried to make this story true to the Marvel Comics as well as the Movie. There is a lot of information here from the world of Asgard and surrounding realms. If I have made a mistake I apologise profusely and would appreciate you letting me know. **

**My own story ideas are the following: The way Jane starts to become Immortal. The name of Jane's father (couldn't find that anywhere). Also I don't know if Frigga has a Sigil but they were used in such matters so I just gave her one!  
><strong>

**Otherwise, really hope you're enjoying my story. I LOVE writing it, listening to the Thor soundtrack and some wonderful Muse and OneRepublic.**

**Have a wonderful week everyone... :) **

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><p><strong><span>Mineral proporties of the Dianthoria Diamond<span>**

Caused by the high-pressure high-temperature conditions found in the Boiling Plains of the Kingdom of Rivvak. The Dianthoria Diamond achieves its unnatural hue of palest puce through the introduction of Asgardian blood in the beginning stages of metamorphosis. Considered one of the strongest allotropes in the Nine Realms, many mystical properties are attributed to its subtransparent formations. These include strength; immortality to mortals; virility; fecundity; greater creativity and an aversion to garlic. Unfortunately none of these attributes have been proven.


	7. Chapter 7

**Phew, another chapter out to all you wonderful people out there!**

**An early warning though. We are going away on holiday on Friday. A lovely long bank holiday break on the Isle of Wight - a little tiny island off the South of England. Anyway, end of Geography lesson. So I will be taking my computer with me but I don't know if they'll have wi-fi access - I'll be honest, probably not. Buuut I will be typing when I relax in the evenings so will definitely get out chapters up from Thursday onwards next week... so really huge apologies. Please don't give up on it because I promise that I know exactly where this story is going and there is an ending in sight... although still got a few more chapters to go. I do hope to bring out another chapter before I leave but please don't hate me too much if I don't manage - I have got so much to do!  
><strong>

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><p>Jane collapsed onto the ground and tried to catch her breath.<p>

"Thor. Hammer. Asgard. Odin." She said clutching her head. "Oh God, I'm safe."

She felt giddy and sick remembering how close she had been to losing everything she cared about most. The Jump hadn't helped matters, she felt utterly disorientated. She tried to stand and giddily flopped back to the ground again. She crossed her legs and rested her head on them taking deep breaths. Eventually she started feeling better. She slowly raised her head and couldn't feel that horrible swirling dizziness any longer. She looked about her, trying to dispel the horror of the previous few minutes. Her feelings for Thor were a double-edged sword. She felt so alone, miserable and lost without him but on the other hand at least she could still remember him. Odin's horrifying promise of forgetfulness actually made her appreciate even more what she had lost. She took another deep breath and let it out shakily. She needed to get herself sorted out and even though she felt happy at still having possession of her memories she needed to forget about the past, at least for a little while. She stood up slowly and the room turned around for a second before equilibrium set in. She walked a little woodenly towards the tiny fridge and opened it taking out the preiquisite coke. She opened it and gulped the familiar sweet drink and whilst glugging it down walked over to a chair and dropped down into it. She pushed her legs out and pointed her toes, her head resting on the back of the chair.

"Erik? Darcy?" She called.

She closed her eyes at getting no reply. It wasn't like they should actually be in the room with her right now just because she called. Who knew where they were? It had been eight days since she had last seen them and she hadn't exactly warned them about her sudden departure. She started to feel a little guilty. She hadn't once thought about her two closest friends whilst she had been in Asgard. She had been so distracted with the beginnings of her new life and had totally forgotten about them. Now she felt really lousy. How could she neglect them in this way? Her attention returned to the room. There was nothing to keep Erik and Darcy in here when she was not with them. They had helped her with the research but they couldn't work on it without her. She felt more and more alone and the need to speak to them was overwhelming. She got up and groaned at her stiff muscles. If there was any immortality stuff running through her veins it had definitely stopped working.

She walked over to the machinery. It was all in exactly the same place, untouched by anyone else. The machines were off and the silence in the large room was oppressive. The dark grey outer wall of the building was supposed to deflect sound but she had a sudden need to hear something familiar. Even though she was now on Earth she felt a wave of homesickness so powerful she almost fell to her knees again.

"Calm down Jane. You really need to get a little under control." She said aloud and then laughed at the empty room. "Okay then, first sign of madness. Got to stop talking to myself."

She started walking over to the double doors but stopped in her tracks at the mobile phone that was perched on a pile of papers in the centre of the table. It was Darcy's. Why had Darcy left her mobile here? It looked like it had been lying here a long time.

The phone was dead and she bent and plugged it into the phone charger attached to a socket in the wall. She decided to check the room more thoroughly then she had originally intended. She went around the room, checking the machines, looking over her untouched notes and under the furniture. Nothing untoward anywhere. Her personal phone and black book and computer were nowhere to be seen but she assumed Erik or Darcy had taken them. Jane shrugged her shoulders. Darcy's mobile was a small mystery but undoubtedly a solvable one. And then that mystery bleeped as it awoke. She reached over for it and whilst it was still plugged in and charging she dialled Erik's mobile number and waited. It rung once and Erik's voice instantly came through.

"Oh Hi Erik." Jane said before he interrupted her.

"Jane. Get out. Go back to Asgard. Don't go through the doors, just..." His voice was cut-off abruptly and she heard nothing else. Jane pressed the end-call button, her mind going into overdrive and her movements getting slower. She looked at the phone and redialled Erik's number but she got that empty space sound that happens sometimes when the caller has forgotten to end his call. The phone dropped from her fingers and landed with a hollow thunk on the floor. A tiny sliver of dread trailed down the back of her spine and she shivered.

Jane's eyes travelled over to the doors.

**# # # # # #**

Sif tentatively knocked on the door. There was so answer from within and she knocked again patiently. Still no answer and yet she could feel his presence beyond. She slowly lifted the large latch and nudged open the large door to his chambers. The large greeting room was empty but she could hear breathing coming from one of the slumber rooms.

"Thor?" She said, taking small steps inside the room and latching the door behind her.

She knew he knew she was here. They were hunters after all and they had been able to sense one anothers presence since early childhood.

She walked slowly towards the room where Thor remained within and entered. Thor lay on his back in the centre of the large bed. A bed she had once shared with him many millennia ago. But the love she held in her breast was one of kinship and trust and a deep pervading sadness over everything that had recently happened. She loved him and had grown to love the mortal he had wanted to take as wife.

She sat down on the edge of the bed. One of his legs was raised, his arms outstretched on either side of him, one almost touching the Hammer that was resting on the side-table.

"I don't need comfort Sif." His eyes were shut and he sounded so very weary.

She reached out and wrapped her small fingers around his hand, closing around it loosely. They both stayed in this position for a long while, neither moving or ruining the moment by talking.

Finally, after many minutes he squeezed her hand gently back. He turned over on his side and faced her. He smiled. It was a horrible smile, filled with misery and exhaustion and she almost flinched back from it.

But she was Sif, born a Goddess and the greatest female warrior in the lands. She reached over and stroked his hair.

"You need to sleep Thor." She said. "You have lost much on this terrible day and you are no use to yourself or anyone else when you are in this state. You must sleep."

"I cannot." He muttered, shutting his eyes.

"You must. I swear by Odin's name that I will do all I can to help you be reunited with the woman you love, even if we must go against the God I swore by."

Thor nodded. He understood what Sif had promised him and it was a truly fearful thing indeed. He had been given a similar promise earlier from Fandrall in the company of Volstagg and Hogun. He truly had the best friends in the world. Even his mother, who never challenged Odin in anything, had offered all her support and love in helping him find a way through, careful with her wording so as not to be seen actively going against her husband.

Sif stood up removing her hand from his and showed him a tiny package concealed in her other hand. She walked over to the large table at the foot of his bed where a bowl of grapes lay beside a goblet of red wine. She ripped open the package and a pink-tinted powder fluttered into it. She watched it fizz briefly before it disappeared.

She returned to Thor's side who had watched her all the while. He grudgingly rose upwards and sat on his bed. She handed him the goblet and he looked at her solemnly.

"Please drink deeply Thor. You need to sleep." Sif said.

"I drink this only because I am of no use to anyone including Jane whilst so fatigued. I need to rest a little to regain my strength and then I will be able to find a way."

Sif nodded and Thor drunk from the goblet and then handed it back to her. He lay back down on the bed and closed his eyes. It would take but minutes before he would fall into a deep sleep. Sif bent down and kissed his forehead.

Thor smiled briefly. "Thank you for your council Sif. You are right, as always."

She slowly backed out of the room and closed the door behind her.

**# # # # # #**

Jane was no stranger to danger. And she wasn't about to shirk away from it now. The Bubble still rested against her chest and she touched it briefly. She knew she would never leave Erik and Darcy as she had done before. There was something through those doors that had done something with the friends she loved. She looked down at the Bubble and knew she would have to be strong yet again. She picked the Bubble up and pulled it off over her head and placed it on the floor. She didn't need such a temptation.

Jane grabbed the key hanging on the key rack and walked towards the double doors. She pressed the key into the lock but the doors just swung open. She looked through the doors and was momentarily blinded by the bright sunlight. She shielded her eyes and tried to see but all she saw were black imprints on white.

"Get back in the building Jane." Erik shouted, whilst Darcy screamed at exactly the same time. "Where's Thor? Get Thor."

Jane looked at where her friend's voices came from. She was almost able to see fully now the sun blindness was receding and she saw Erik and Darcy standing about twenty feet to the right of her. She started running towards them before she recognised what stood directly behind them. She recoiled quickly and stopped running, standing very still and absolutely terrified.

"Well hello there Jane. We meet at last." A voice said, directly behind her.

Jane couldn't take her eyes off the thing standing directly behind her friends but she somehow felt the threat behind her was even worse.

"Oh don't worry about your friends. They're entirely safe." The man said. "Well, safe as long as you cooperate."

She carried on staring at the large obscene monster.

"How can the Destroyer be standing? I saw its destruction." Jane said as she turned around to face the unknown man.

She stared at the being before her and knew a God when she saw one.

"I assume you're Loki." She said, looking at the magnificent raven haired being before her, dressed in splendid clothes with a horned helmet upon his brow.

"Well guessed Jane. And I've been waiting a long time to finally meet you."

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><p><strong>And you're all going to have to wait a little longer to find out what happens next. ;)<strong>

**Really want to thank each and every one of you for your wonderful encouragement with this story and for signing up for new chapters. I really will try and get another chapter up before I go away but please don't hate me too much if I don't manage.**


	8. Chapter 8

**I'm back in reality again... **

**Had a wonderful beautiful holiday in the Isle of Wight. Managed to pick up two pairs of gorgeous shoes too! Anyhooooow... it's back to reality... kids in school today... work for me... housework and washes to be done... bills to be paid... phone calls to make... bla bla bla... aaaand a chapter to write... :) Yay!**

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><p>She saw them from afar, two great Gods standing together in deep discussion and she wished with all her powers that she could hear what they were saying. Her horse whipped its legs in a frenzy as she whispered sweet words of authority into its ears. Her hair billowed out behind her along with her bronze dress which combined with the ash coloured horse into a fearful sight indeed. Frigga wasn't one to act impulsively but after she had seen the look of devastation on her son's face she felt justified in wanting answers. She had never, in her long life as wife to Odin questioned him. But after the way he had treated Jane in public she needed to know why.<p>

She gripped the reins tighter and the horse and Frigga practically flew along the Rainbow Bridge towards Odin and Heimdall. She could see them watching her and talking as she approached and just as she was reining in her horse she needed to rein down on her emotions. She owed it to their long happy union together to stay calm and remove all feelings towards her precious son, at least for a little while.

The horse whinnied to a stop and she swung her leg over, the long dress covering her to her ankles as she slipped off. She patted her favourite horse and nodded to him. He lowered his mighty head briefly and shuffled backwards.

She stood before her beloved husband and the God who was keeper of the absent Bifröst.

"May I request an audience with you, My God and master?" She said, nodding her head slightly at him in deference, in keeping with custom in front of Heimdall.

Odin smiled a tired smile at his beloved wife. He walked towards her and embraced her tightly in his arms. She was a little shocked at the gesture, surprised he would show such emotion before another God. He let her go and moved a step back. And then she realised they were alone; Heimdall had all but vanished in that unnerving way of his.

Odin's feelings emboldened her and she reached out and laid her palm against his cheek. He knew her as much as she knew herself, she had never held anything back from him and although he held many secrets from her she knew it was his duty as king and it was for the good of the realm.

She nodded to him knowing he would say what he must, and no more.

He held her hands in his and looked into her eyes, her beautiful eyes. Thor's eyes.

"I know you will not question me on why I did what I did." He started.

She shook her head. She was his faithful companion and he saw further into the void of all things than any other living being.

"You have come to me here at exactly the time you were meant to." Odin turned towards where the Bifröst had once stood. He looked out at the beginnings of the universe.

"The contours of everything we stand for in Asgard stand at a giant crossroad. So many paths can be foreseen and so many decisions can be broken." The mighty Odin said. "I know that there is only one direction that can save Asgard from destruction. Everyone's role is now set. What began a year ago will conclude shortly and even I cannot know all outcomes. But I have done what I can to help in its success."

Frigga looked at the only God she had every loved.

"Why hurt Jane and Thor?" She whispered, understanding nothing but comprehending much.

"The conjectures of all pathways are already joined and I did what I was meant to do. We stand but on a knife edge." Odin raised his arms and gestured to the surrounding plains of the realm. "And everything is at stake and to fight for."

Frigga walked into her husband's open arms and hugged him tightly.

"Then you have done all you can as indeed you must." She said. "And now it is time to return. Our son sleeps but when he awakens he will need our love and our council."

Odin nodded. "He will sleep for a time. And while he sleeps he will dream. While he dreams, all things will come together that hold the key to his future, and indeed our own. And he will guide his own destiny... no path is as yet set."

They walked over to the horse and Frigga raised herself upon its back and Odin held the reins and walked beside her.

# # # # # #

_Thor's sleep was like that of the dead. His mind an open channel to all the prisms of the universe. He dreamed only fleeting images and half-forgotten memories. He saw his parents looking down at him with love and hope and he knew himself to be a babe. He clasped Sif tightly to him as she wept over her lost golden hair after Loki had replaced it with the colour of a Raven. He laughed as Volstagg got hit on the foot by Hogun. He saw Jane. Jane in shadow and laughing at something. Jane walking towards him dressed in a beautiful cyan misted dress, midnight blue etchings weaving in and out as she sinuously moved closer to him. Her hair flowing loosely down her bare shoulders, crystals like tear-drops in her hair. "Do you miss me Thor?" She reached a barely visible hand up to him and brushed the tear that had trickled down his cheek. Her hand slid through his cheek as if she was but a ghost. "I am here if you want me Thor. I am always here with you." Her clothes fell away from her in a rippling spiral and the teardrops slid from her hair and gathered in her eyes, falling one by one. He watched them fall and looked at her naked beauty, as he had imagined many times before. "I am but a dream you can take anytime." She stood before him, baring herself to him, smiling at him invitingly. "I want you so much Jane." He said, reaching out to her. She laughed but it had turned bitter and she evaporated in a swirling mass of colour that ended blood-red. "Jane?" He shouted out to her but she was gone from him. "Ah but she is here. You just have to reach her in time." He turned towards his brother's voice. Loki stood before him, in his warrior clothes, his long cloak swirling around him. "Loki. You are dead." Thor whispered. "Fool of a brother. Have you learnt nothing in the past year? Your dreams are mine for the picking." He whipped his cloak back behind him and there lay Jane, shackled hand and foot to the floor, bleeding from open wounds, wearing the thinnest of clothing barely covering her dignity. "Do you want her Thor? When she lies here broken and used? Would you take something already given freely to me?" Thor rushed forward in a growl. "But she is not yours to have Thor." Loki bent down and lifted her fallen head. He kissed her, a beautiful kiss that was almost obscene in its love for Jane. Jane responded and kissed him back. Thor fell to his knees and howled. The images slowly went out of focus and disappeared. Thor stood wearily, wiping tears from his face. He turned around looking at this unfocused lack of world. He caught a shadow in the distance and automatically walked in that direction, this being a place in-between the nothing of a void, a place belonging to Dream. The image solidified and his father stood before him. Thor stood still and stared defiantly at his father. "I have nothing to say to you." He said. "No. You don't." Odin replied. "But I have only one thing to say to you." Odin looked at his son with pity, and Thor wanted to run at his father and hurt him for such a look. "Make the right choice." His father said, whispering away into infinity._

Thor gasped as he felt himself rise level by level out of the dream-sleep. "Remember." He thought to himself, knowing the dream was significant. "I must remember to make the right choice." But already the dream was slipping away from him and he lay there, hating himself as his dream faded into nothing.

**# # # # # #**

Loki stood before Jane and used his hand to raise her head up to look at him.

"I can understand Thor's affection towards you." He said, moving her head from side to side. "You are truly remarkable. For a human."

"And you are truly unremarkable." Replied Jane. "For a God."

Loki chortled and released her. She took a step backwards and rubbed her jaw. There was a low throb from where he had pressed into her skin.

She looked at him with utter loathing and he smiled in the face of her contempt. She turned behind her to where her two friends were shrouded in the shadow of the Destroyer. He stood immobile and they sat side-by-side, looking miserable. The Destroyer hadn't moved in all the time she had entered the harsh sunlight. She took a few steps towards her friends.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Jane turned back to Loki, who was looking at her with that horrible unvarying smile.

"And why not?" She asked, truly angry now, and also extremely frightened.

"Because The Destroyer will kill anything that comes within ten metres of it." Loki said. "Except me and your friends."

Jane turned to face Loki. This God who had caused her lover such pain by his supposed death and who now stood alive and well before her. She was angry at feeling so powerless and she wished more than anything she had kept the Bubble around her. She could then have returned quickly to Asgard and let the Asgardians know about the presence of Loki and the Destroyer and the fact that her friends were being held hostage.

Jane watched Loki wearily. He kept staring at her, and she couldn't look at his eyes for longer than a few seconds. She knew it was a sign of weakness but couldn't keep eye contact.

"What do you want from me?"

He grinned as if she had asked the right question.

He walked to her and raised his hand. She automatically flinched and hated herself for doing so. He grinned and put his hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry my dear. I won't hurt you." He then raised his hand and struck her hard against her face. She whipped around from the momentum and fell backwards. She heard a distant shout of dismay as she fell to the ground. Her shoulder struck the hard pavement and a sharp pain ran up and down her arm and shoulder. She screamed, the pain was terrible.

"I should have said that after I hit you." Loki said. He bent over her and raised her up by her other arm. The movement on her shoulder and arm was intense. She whimpered as he moved her. Erik and Darcy were screaming things in the background but she was focused entirely on Loki. She was really scared now. Loki was looking at her with pity and she wanted to hit that miserable face with something.

"I mean it. I didn't want to hurt you." He said. "But it is necessary."

She stood shakily before him and touched the side of her face. She winced from the pain and her hand drew back slick with blood. She was bleeding.

"I don't know why Thor was sorry over your death." Jane said. "You're a monster."

"No Jane. I'm not." He said, shaking his head. "If I was a monster I could have killed those two." He said, pointing to Erik and Darcy. "But I've let them live. And I hurt you for a reason."

"And what's that?" Jane said.

"Well. When Thor sees you looking a little bruised he will get really angry." Loki looked smug. "And experience has taught me that when Thor gets angry he also gets careless."

"Well Thor is still on Asgard and I'm on Earth. So I don't know how you'll..."

"Oh don't try my patience Jane. I've been watching you for the past year and have learnt plenty in my chosen exile."

"How long have you been on Earth?" She said.

"Well I had a choice of which realm to enter after being sucked into the void a year ago. All it took was a little thing you call magic. I decided on Earth. I tracked you down and managed to procure this piece of Asgardian property here." He said, gesturing to the Destroyer. "He lay broken and your Earthlings didn't know what to do with him. So I took back what was rightfully mine. And I wanted to discover exactly why my brother cared for you so much."

Jane tried to move her arm but failed. It hurt so much. "I'm sure you couldn't work it out even if you tried. And it seems Odin felt the same way." She was bitter and had said it without thinking things through. She didn't want Loki to know anything more about her. She felt so stupid for revealing her feelings.

"Ah. The mighty Odin." Loki smiled, but he looked so bitter and sad that Jane almost felt sorry for him. "Both not good enough to be around his mighty son."

Jane automatically went to Odin's defence, even though she had felt the opposite only a moment before. "That's not fair. Odin took you in when you had been abandoned. He cared for you like a son."

"Like a son. Always being treated second in his eyes. A father should treat his children equally." He looked at Jane in anger, and his face softened slightly.

"But now I have the woman that my brother loves." He grinned, but it didn't look natural, he looked almost sorry. "What should I do with you?"

"Let me and my friends go." She said angrily, trying to take a step back.

"I don't think so." He said. He reached down and touched her bad shoulder. She flinched but stopped herself from screaming out. "I see it's dislocated. So I apologise in advance for what I'm about to do." She screamed in absolutely agony as he twisted her shoulder and when she felt she would black out from the pain there was a resounding pop and the pain disappeared almost instantly. She sobbed with relief. "I need Thor to see you hurt but I don't want you to unnecessarily suffer."

He reached down and took Jane by the good shoulder again. "And now you're coming with me." She tried to get away but he was immensely strong and she was only human. He didn't seem to have lost any of his strength coming to Earth like Thor had done.

He looked back at the Destroyer and her friends. "I would recommend that you don't follow us or attempt to stop us in any way." Loki said to Erik and Darcy. "If you do I may not be so merciful a second time." Loki nodded at the Destroyer who took a step away from the two people and started walking towards Loki and Jane.

He pushed Jane towards the Destroyer who turned to face her.

"If she moves even one step kill the old one." He said, nodding at Erik. The Destroyer stood poised over Jane, unmoving. She gulped and kept very still.

Loki walked into the building and saw the Bubble lying on the floor. He picked it up and returned to Jane, who looked at him angrily.

"It seems we will be returning to the realm you were just banished from. I hope Odin isn't too angry with you." He said, as he turned the Bubble over and over in his hands.

Loki pulled out a large hollow circular instrument and placed it directly around the outside of the Bubble. It fit perfectly. The attached thing was blue in colour and it seemed to dull and brighten in the timing of a heartbeat. It had spokes sticking out at equal intervals making it look like some sort of dial.

"What the hell is that?" Jane said.

"All shall be revealed." Loki said, turning the dial a fraction. It lit up briefly and then returned to its original pulsing blue. "I've been watching and learning things Jane. You couldn't see me but I could see you and sometimes I stood over your shoulder and watched you work."

"How?" She questioned.

"Easy. He twisted his hands around each other and the Destroyer disappeared. Jane blinked and looked around her. The Destroyer was no longer there. She didn't know where it was but she looked towards her friends.

"I wouldn't move if I were you." Loki said, noticing where she was looking. "He is standing right behind you still. You just can't see him. Just a little bit of magic."

He pulled her roughly to him and placed the altered Bubble around his head with his other hand.

"Time I went home." He said, clutching Jane to him. He pressed the Bubble and they were gone.

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><p><strong>Thanks for your patience.<br>**

**And now apologies. I've made a big mistake! I went to watch the movie again and saw that the working place of Jane and the others is this big structure in the centre of town surrounded by glass. For some reason after seeing the movie the first time I forgot about that and imagined a grey structure in the middle of nowhere that had only one set of doors and no windows. So apologies. **

**And who stayed to the end of the movie credits and watched the teaser for next time? BRILLIANT :)**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hello beautiful people. Went to see X Men: First Class yesterday because of the decent write ups and I really enjoyed it. Would recommend :) Nice classic action movie.**

**This chapter is dedicated to my wonderful husband. Yesterday afternoon I managed to pick up a virus/malware. Very very clever one. A big box came up saying 'Windows Vista Recovery' and a little button bottom right said 'Fix Now'. I did so automatically and woohoo, terrible virus on computer. He managed to sort it out without all my stuff being deleted but it took all evening - hence going out to watch a movie - needed to forget that I might lose everything.**

**I don't own Marvel because if I did I would be extremely rich! Stan Lee is awesome!**

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><p>Thor sat at the head of a narrow table. An untouched goblet of mead and a plate of rich food before him. His elbows were on the table and his hands clasped together, with his chin resting upon them.<p>

"Are you going to eat that?" Volstagg said, indicating Thor's loaded plate. He looked at Thor's vacant expression and raised an eyebrow at Fandral who shook his head, rolling his eyes.

"Obviously not." Purposely misinterpreting Fandral, Volstagg hoisted the plate of food towards him and tucked into a roast goose-leg. He then sipped from his own goblet.

Sif touched Thor's arm.

"You have to snap out of it Thor." She said. "Are you sure there is nothing else you remember from your dream-state?"

Thor shook his head and relaxed backwards on his chair. "Nothing. I have racked my mind. I am sure Jane was there and nothing else. Although it is obvious I need to see her again."

"Well then." Folstagg got to his feet and pulled out his sword. "It means you have to stop wallowing in misery. It is finally time for some action."

"Yes." Hogun added, swallowing noisily. "Get off your backside and go get her."

"If only it were so easy." Thor mumbled.

"Sitting and doing nothing is easiest Thor." Sif said. "But you get nowhere very quickly."

"So what do you suggest?" Thor said, slightly angry.

"Go and speak to Heimdall. He is most likely to give you answers, albeit through a riddle or wordplay. But I am sure he will try and help you somehow." Said Sif.

"He's an enigma that one." Folstagg added.

Thor pushed himself back from the table, his chair squeaking roughly across the marble floor.

"You are right of course Sif. I will do as you have suggested." Thor turned from his friends.

"Do you wish us to come with you?" Hogun said.

"Thank you my friends. I appreciate your offer and accept gladly." Thor said. "And after Heimdall I will speak to my father. But that is something I must do alone."

**# # # # # #**

The moment Jane and Loki disappeared Erik was up and running towards the double doors.

"Erik wait." Darcy yelled after him. "Where are you going? The Destroyer's probably around here somewhere."

Erik didn't stop running and shouted back over his shoulder. "Loki took the Destroyer with him. We're alone now."

"Okay. Cool." Darcy ran after Erik who was breathing heavily and she easily caught up with him as they entered the double doors. "So what are we gonna do now?"

Erik didn't answer her and ran straight for the coat closet on the other side of the room. Darcy jogged beside him. He pulled the door open and bent over, rummaging around just beyond the coats.

"What're you looking for?" Darcy said.

"I'll know it when I see it." Erik grunted, trying to move some of the heavier items out of the way. After a couple of minutes he emerged triumphant.

"I was looking for these." Darcy looked at the Bubbles that lay in Erik's hands. She jumped up and down and clapped her hands.

"Ooh. Spare Bubbles. Does that mean you have a plan Dr Selvig?"

"Yes Darcy. It's a take-one-step-at-a-time kind of plan."

**# # # # # #**

Heimdall bowed deeply to Odin and turned and walked out of the chamber, returning to the Rainbow Bridge's edge. Odin sat hunched upon the mighty Throne, staring into space, waiting for the inevitable. Everything was spiralling together at an awesome speed and by this time tomorrow all would be as it should or altered inexorably. A guard flanked him on either side and he wondered if they would survive the coming hours. He had chosen two men without families in order to ease his ever-growing conscience and knew that more bloodshed would likely happen, and soon.

A thin reedy sound had begun from the centre of the chamber. Soon he would see his other son, his adopted son, the one he had betrayed for the good of the realm. He wondered if his time was almost over and if he would have a chance to tell this son all that needed to be said. The noise was increasing in pitch and volume and the two guards were looking nervously at each other and at Odin, who sat passively. They drew their weapons and started walking slowly over to Odin in protection.

Odin looked at their innocent faces and knew they were scared, and young, and foolish. Their bloodshed was needless and if they stayed they might suffer such a fate. He changed his mind about their fate, something he rarely did, but he didn't need more innocent blood spilt than was absolutely necessary.

"I wish you to leave me." He said to them both.

"But AllFather. Something is coming and we must protect you."

"I know exactly what is coming and you must leave me." They still looked indecisive. "NOW."

That brooked no argument and they walked slowly away. He watched them go and one of the guards gave one final backwards glance before they were gone.

Odin remained upon his Throne, his mighty Staff in his hand.

The thin noise, the slight pressure of the Chamber Room was intensifying and starting to become inconvenient. He slowly stood up, using his Staff as an anchor as he slowly pushed his way forward against the oncoming tide of duty.

He whispered a few words and just as a terrific crash-like boom started from the centre of the Chamber he thrust his Staff against the ground. The Power of Odin met the Power of the opening Vortex and it crashed together head-on. A great whooshing sound issued and Odin held on dearly to the Staff as his feet were swept off the ground.

Loki entered the Realm and was instantly pushed backwards off his feet. He slammed into the Invisible bulk of the Destroyer directly behind him. Jane was not so lucky. Loki had been holding her loosely as they travelled between Realms but the power of the AllFather made her fly out of Loki's loose grasp and she flew through the air, missing the Destroyer who was directly behind Loki. Her back connected with a solid wall which she hit with a dull thunk and she fell into a heap to the ground.

Loki looked back at Jane in horror. He hadn't intended to hurt her anymore than he already had. She lay unmoving in a contorted fashion.

"Loki." He turned towards the powerful voice of the God who had lied to him. "What have you done?"

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><p><strong>Thank you to all my lovely reviewers. Love you all, whether you be the undead, beesties or human ;)<strong>

**And don't worry, I hopefully won't leave you hanging like this too long...  
><strong>


	10. Chapter 10

**The previous chapter was rather short so this one will hopefully make up for it. And I apologise for the long delay. I kept rewriting bits and bobs here and there... I wanted this chapter to flow and it proved difficult... but I promise no long delays again... I will try and get a chapter up within about 3-4 days... and this story is drawing to a close... maybe another 4 chapters... **

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><p>Thor rode his mighty horse out along the Rainbow Bridge, his four friends beside and behind him. They urged their horses against each other to try and take the lead, their cloaks and hair whipping out behind them with laughter in their faces. Thor was the only one who did not join in his friends light banter, his face absently blank and his mind focused on the task ahead. Thor was cheered to see Heimdall only part way out along the bridge, walking slowly towards his destination.<p>

"Hail Heimdall." Thor shouted upon catching up to the powerful God. "Why walk along this Bridge when you can appear at the end at will?"

"It would take too much time for you to reach me and time is short." Heimdall stopped and turned to face Thor.

Thor had jumped off his horse and was walking quickly towards Heimdall, followed by the others. "What do you mean by that?"

Heimdall placed his hands upon the young God's shoulders. "What did you wish to do after talking to me?"

Thor inwardly smiled - trust Heimdall to ask a question from a question.

"I wish to talk with my father."

"Then it must be done, Son of Odin, Brother of Loki and Lover of Jane." He walked Thor back to his horse. "And in haste. You will speak with your father but you may find your paths branch out and break before you get your chance. It all depends on the timing of your entrance." Thor raised his eyes in question but Heimdall stared ahead, seeing much but saying nothing more. Thor knew their meeting was over and he returned to his steed and mounted. Heimdall walked over and slapped the horse's rear which caused the horse to raise its forelegs off the ground. "Be swift. And keep your friends by your side." He yelled as Thor jumped forward and started back the way he had come, followed by his friends.

Sif rode abreast of him. "Why did he mention Jane and Loki to you?" She shouted above the rushing wind in their faces.

"I don't recall him doing so." Thor shouted back. "Probably just pointing it out to remind me what to speak to Odin about. Loki is lost to me but I don't intend to lose Jane, no matter what my father thinks of mortals."

"Heimdall never wastes words." Sif muttered under her breath.

**# # # # # #**

Erik pulled out a handful of Jane's Bubbles, in varying degrees of damage. Some were dented quite badly and these he discarded. Others were the wrong shape or size or colour from her newest model and these too where removed from the diminishing pile.

"What're you looking for?" Darcy piped up.

"Jane made quite a few Bubbles over the past months and she's used many extensively. She always threw them into this cupboard when she was finished with them. I'm hoping two of them will take us to Asgard."

"Are you sure you want to go there after what just happened?" Darcy said. She looked at the Bubbles and coughed into her hand, a little embarrassed at admitting a feeling of powerlessness. "Are you sure these rejects will get us there and not blow us up?"

"Darcy. We have a choice to make. Jane is alone in Asgard with that trickster Loki and he won't expect us to follow them. Which is exactly what I plan to do." Erik looked at Darcy with defiance. "You don't need to come Darcy. But I will be leaving shortly."

"No way. I am so going to the land of the Gods." Darcy said. "And Jane won't be alone over there, Thor will come to her rescue."

Erik rolled his eyes and smiled at this sweet friend of Jane who had stuck with her through thick and thin. "Let's hope so." He said. He was sorting through the heap of plastic and metal, looking for the two most likely modes of transport that would hopefully send them to their destination. He didn't intend to put on a bulky space-suit to get there! He picked up two Bubbles which were a little less ruined than the others and handed one to Darcy.

"Wear this." He said. She swallowed audibly and took the Bubble from him. He grabbed her hand as she took the Bubble and held it tightly in both of his. "We are there for Jane only. We will not try and involve ourselves in any of the Asgardians politics. We get her and leave. Do you understand?" She nodded, biting her lower lip. He released her hand and she placed the Bubble over her, the strap holding tightly. Erik did the same.

"Ready?" Darcy squeaked.

"As ready as I'll ever be." Erik said, trying to smile but failing abysmally. "On a count of three. One. Two. Three." They pressed the Bubbles.

**# # # # # #**

Loki's mouth dropped open at his father's accusation. "What I have done?" Loki shouted the question back at Odin, angry and bewildered. "I have done nothing. It was your power that caused Jane to hit the wall. And you care nothing for her as you care nothing for me. You have shown that to both of us."

"Oh Loki." Odin shook his head sadly. "Your argument grows weary. You can't use my raising you as an excuse for your failings. Look at Thor. The father who raised you also raised him."

Loki who had felt like the lesser son all his life closed his eyes and breathed in sharply. Odin could not have said anything that could cause him more pain. He thought of brief instances in his past where his brother had been raised on a shining pedestal and he had been left on the sidelines. He remembered his father praising Thor in his accomplishments of strength but whenever Loki had showed his father some powerful bouts of Power and Magic his father would brush him off. Thus he had learnt the hard way how to get back at his father through his brother. He would bide his time and with words or hidden brief moments of Power his brother would get in trouble with Odin and stupid Thor never guessed it had been him all along. He had never been good enough for his father and never would be. The only way to show his father he was a worthy warrior was in battle against him and to use both of Odin's Powers: Strength and Words.

"Oh father. You are right. As always. I am only a product of my birth and you nurtured nothing in me but a deep loathing for you and Thor. So I was born a Frost Giant. And that is how I shall remain. You claim no responsibility for my actions and thus I lose all belief in you." He looked down at the Bubble resting on his chest and turned the blue dial a full rotation.

"So you are bringing along some more unwanted guests." Odin said grimly. "I don't wish to fight you my son. And contrary to your previous words I still think of you as my son."

Loki laughed hysterically. "Odin, King of Asgard. You have no further claim to anything I was, am or eventually will be. And I will become greater than you ever were. You have shown me that fear is a great tool and if used wisely can be for the good of all."

Loki looked at the surrounding rim of blue around the Bubble and the pulsating colours pleased him. The whining noise and pressure had started and Odin raised his Staff.

"I will not allow you to bring those creatures back here. The doors between our realms are broken and you will destroy everything if you persist in this madness."

"You have no idea how mad I actually am Odin. Mad at you and all you have done to me. And it was your power that struck the human Jane. I didn't do that. It will be interesting to see what happens when Thor comes across his broken woman."

Odin raised the staff higher. "I cannot allow you to proceed."

Loki nodded his head. "You can't stop me." A blast erupted from the invisible Destroyer behind him. Odin had expected it and had banged his staff to the ground at the exact moment the Destroyer unleashed its Power. The two forces met and unfortunately for Odin he had underestimated exactly what Loki would do to his beloved creation of Fire. The two forces met but both were Ice and the Power erupted around Odin and only his staff protected him from becoming a statue of Ice. The Staff had protected him but in so doing was encapsulated in Ice. The barrier of Ice surrounded Odin in the large shape of a thick bubble. He tried to take a step backwards but bumped into the ice behind him. He tried to move his staff but it was stuck fast in the ice, its power useless to him. His large beautiful golden throne was now his prison.

"Impressive Loki. I didn't realise you took the Casket of Ancient Winters into exile with you." Odin said.

"Fire is the power of the Gods. I am a Frost Giant and my heart has always been cold, you made sure of that. The Destroyer has been in my workings for the past year and I have the power of Jodenheim within my keeping and now the Casket is within the Destroyer."

The power of the Vortex was growing ever stronger. Loki turned towards where the invisible Destroyer was standing. He twisted his arms and reached out and the Destroyer became visible instantly. The Destroyer began walking towards Odin and stopped a few feet away from him. It stared at its old master and didn't move.

Loki looked towards Jane and realised that he had been mistaken to bring a human to this realm. Odin had rejected her, and for good reason. She was too fragile for the battle that was to come. It was Thor's fault he had brought her; he had just wanted revenge on his brother, but not in the death of an innocent maiden. He pushed the regret from his heart and rushed to her.

She hadn't moved in all the time they had been talking. He stood before for and dropped to his knees. He looked at her swollen cheek and bloodied lip and it seemed like a terrible time ago when he had struck her. Her body looked broken lying there before him, her legs at strange angles to the rest of her body.

"Oh Jane. I'm so sorry."

"It's too late for sorry Loki. Your part in this play is set and you had better be prepared for what is to come." Odin shouted.

Loki heard the words and knew Odin spoke true. "If you open your mouth again old man, you will become ice before you can use what little magic you hold within you. You may be immortal, but even you would not wish to remain a pillar of ice for all eternity."

He placed his hands gently under Jane's head and cradled her in his arms.

"Believe me when I say I didn't..."

"Mrrrrch." Her lips parted and a brief dull sound escaped them. He laughed out loud at this and kissed her forehead.

"Thank the Gods."

"Loki. Brother. You have returned."

Loki closed his eyes and grinned. Thor was finally here and Loki could not have wished for better timing. He gently cradled Jane to him and slowly stood up. Thor suddenly realised who Loki was holding in his arms and rushed towards her but was held back by Volstagg and Hogun.

"What is Jane doing here?" Thor said before noticing her bruised face and legs contorted in strange angles. "What has happened to her brother?"

"See the wider picture Thor." Sif whispered noticing all, staring towards the Destroyer, where Odin stood in ice beside it.

Thor could hardly take his eyes off Jane. He saw Jane's body, held in Loki's arms. Her face bruised and her legs contorted in strange angles.

_Do you want her Thor? When she lies here broken and used? Would you take something already given freely to me?_

A fragment of the dream entered his mind and he almost collapsed from the memory of it. Jane had been before him, clad in chains, bleeding and broken.

"Jane?" He whispered in anguish.

His eyes had started to water and not just from the noise of the ever-increasing whine and the build-up in pressure. It seemed that they would be joined shortly by others from another realm.

"Thor." Sif started to shout to try and be heard about the screeching noise. "Look towards your father, for Odin's sake."

He did so and the sight of the Destroyer and his father filled him with anger and bitterness.

Loki was looking down at Jane, his face a mirror of sadness and pain.

"Odin brought me back to Asgard." Loki said, raising his head and looked first at Odin, who returned his look with sadness. He then looked towards Thor with a slight smile upon his face. "He brought me back as his son. And I brought Jane to you Thor; I knew how much you loved her. But Odin saw her and reacted badly. He has kept the Destroyer by his side all this time, hidden from all. He used it to hurt her." He brushed a lock of hair back from her face. "Please take her from me Thor. When she awakens it will be your face she will wish to see."

Thor started forward, pushing his friends back from him. "Don't trust him Thor. For AllFather's sake." Sif yelled before drawing her hands over her ears in a grimace. Her friends did the same, all too gladly.

The centre of the Throne Room had reached the breaking pitch of sound and the pressure had risen to the highest notch. Thor hardly felt it with his hammer in his right hand pushed out before him. Loki stood with his back against the wall, his arms outstretched, holding the human woman towards Thor.

Thor stretched out his hands towards her and the scream of sound and pressure exploded around him, within a field of blue light. The pressure had broken instantly and no one was thrown off their feet this time due to the difference in the vortex format. The noise continued to climb to a screech and even Thor raised his hands to cover his ears. He noticed in the space of a few seconds that Loki had turned his back on Thor and was hunched over Jane. Thor rushed towards Jane, wanting to get her out of Loki's arms, even if Loki had turned at the last moment to protect her from the Power of the opening of the Realms. His brother was placing Jane gently on the ground and as Thor reached out to her Loki rushed forward and embraced Thor in his arms.

Thor was taken utterly by surprise at this display of brotherly affection and hugged Loki back.

Thor looked over Loki's shoulder at Jane, who lay on the floor. She was bruised and swollen and trying to move her head. Her eyes were opening and closing but he could not tell if she saw him.

Loki whispered directly into Thor's ear. "I kept her safe for you Thor. Odin wanted her dead and although I couldn't stop her getting hurt I prevented her death. He wanted to get rid of her so you could never return to her. And he almost succeeded if not for me."

Loki looked over Thor's shoulder as he said this. A smile played at the corner of his lips but his voice sounded full of anguish. He looked towards the deep prism of light that shone through the door-shape in the centre of the room and the grin widened. A Frost Giant had stepped forth through the door, followed immediately by another. His smile widened even more when he saw Erik and Darcy huddled together just a few metres from the entrance the Frost Giants were now stepping through. It seemed they had followed him back after all and had arrived at exactly the same time as the Frost Giants.

Loki looked towards his lost father and wanted to laugh out loud. His father was absolutely helpless; he couldn't talk or move without the horror of the Destroyer being unleashed. And one thing Odin could never know was that death by Destroyer was too easy, the Destroyer was just a prop to keep the mighty God silent. Loki had a different plan involving the death of Odin. And it involved the God he held in his arms. He released Thor and his face was a picture of misery.

"Help her Thor. She needs you."

He stepped back and swept his cloak from where Jane lay. Thor bent down towards her, totally oblivious to all that was going on around him. Loki walked towards the Frost Giants that had now swelled to a number of at least eight.

He looked towards the Warriors Three and Sif and smiled at them in bitterness. Their weapons were out and they looked towards the Frost Giants who looked back at them with loathing.

Erik saw Thor and Jane huddled against the wall of the large room, only a short distance away. He reached for Darcy's hand and pulled her after him as he dodged around the large blue creatures and ran towards his adopted daughter.

# # # #

Loki looked back towards Thor who was totally oblivious to all that was going on behind him. His focus lay only on Jane, as did Darcy and Eric. Loki grinned. He could now continue with the next part of his plan.

Loki walked towards the Frost Giants and stretched out his hands in greeting. "Welcome brothers."

"Don't take another step towards us Immortal." One of them said.

"But you have entered this Realm because of me." He raised his hand above his face and brought it slowly downwards, his palm open and his fingers together. As his face slowly disappeared behind his hand it came back again in the shape and colour of a Frost Giant.

"What trickery is this?" Said one. He heard gasps from his once-friends on the right of him.

"No trickery." Loki said. "I happen to be the son of Laufey that was. I am a Frost Giant, just as you are. And I have come to free you from your broken ice prison that Odin tried to destroy." He pointed at Odin and the Frost Giants turned to where Odin stood, trapped in his icy shell.

Sif screamed out towards Loki in anger. "But it was you."

One laughed. "It seems we do not need to worry about the King but only his lowly subjects."

Loki laughed bitterly. "Don't believe what these Immortals tell you. They killed your great king and wanted to kill you all. You have a chance at redemption. It's up to you to seize it."

# # # #

Thor's focus lay only in Jane. He had knelt down before her and was cradling her just as Loki had done earlier. She was trying to fight the edge of darkness that would return her to the quiet and peace. She could see Thor staring down at her and she tried to reach up to him to caress his face but her arms wouldn't listen to her.

"You are safe now Jane. I will return you to Midgard very soon. I am sorry for all this."

"Please Thor." She whimpered, realising that apart from her swollen cheek which hurt like the Dickens, the rest of her body was strangely free of pain. She couldn't feel it at all and she tried to move her hand again. She tried to move her toe inside her shoe. She tried to wiggle her bottom. Nothing responded and she felt a lack of anything and everything below her neck.

"Thor. I can't -."

"Jane. You're awake." Thor said happily. At that moment Erik and Darcy reached his side, Erik tentatively placing a hand on Thor's shoulder. But Thor was oblivious to them as he was to everything else except Jane.

"I can't move my body Thor." She whispered, through blood-encrusted lips.

Thor lifted her up and held her tightly. He kissed her brow in the same spot his brother had done so earlier, although neither would ever know this. He kissed her swollen cheek and she flinched slightly.

"I will kill my father for doing this to you." He said.

"It was an accident Thor." She said. "Please Thor. I can't feel my arms and legs." She whimpered as the full truth hit her. "I think I'm paralysed."

* * *

><p><strong>Yes yes yes, I know... it's another cliffhanger. But I truly promise you won't have to wait too many days until the next instalment (unless it's another whopping almost 4000 words!). Everything is slowly coming together... I mean I hope it's all coming together and I'll get it down on paper as it swirls around endlessly in my head.<strong>

**Oh and go to YouTube and check out the website HISHE (How it should have ended) and watch the THOR clip. Really really funny. And do me a favour and read 'Thor The Parody' by Adrian Tullberg on fanfiction – I could NOT stop laughing!**

**And otherwise it's all MUSE baby, all MUSE!**


	11. Chapter 11

**After a six month hiatus after starting this story I took a ridiculously long break of over six months (lack of inspiration is the main cause and Thor not being in the cinema or on DVD was the other). I finally bought the DVD and after watching it twice I am sworn to finish it. (And sorry Thor lovers... but for some reason this time around I'm routing for the 'bad' (misguided) guy – Loki – yum!) But don't worry, this is not going to change the plot, I know where I'm going with the story and I promise it's all about Thor (and Jane!)**

# #_  
><em>

The moment before the battle began. Utter calm prevailed. His pupils were slightly dilated, his heart beating slow and sure, his breathing deep. His muscles tingled restlessly and he felt the build-up of sweat on his forehead. Jane lay like a heavy-weight in his arms and for a moment; just a moment he longed to put her back on the ground and raise his Hammer and race into the heart of battle. He looked at the three Midgardians, all of them brave warriors in their own right; although Darcy looked as if she was about to pass out.

"Erik. Darcy. We must go." He turned and ran from the Chamber, almost feeling like a coward at leaving his friends to fight in battle without him. He was angry now. Angry at what his father had done. Angry that he would miss the beginning of the battle. But with every step he took away from the silence before the storm, he managed to regain more control of himself. He looked down into Jane's beautiful face as he ran and she looked back at him, worry and hope etched in with love. Her radiance fortified him and he felt renewed power course through his veins. The pleasures of battle were losing strength inside him as was the feeling of helplessness that he originally saw when beholding Jane. He carried on running, Jane's weight causing him no difficulty although Erik was clutching his side and gasping for breath.

Thor stopped before a large ornate door. Two guards stood on either side of the door and at seeing Thor they automatically pushed it open.

"A battle in the Throne Room. Gather the guards and go." Thor shouted over his shoulder as he rushed through the door. The guards bowed deeply before starting to run towards the Throne Room.

Thor strode down the centre of a beautiful garden, walking along a winding path that was free of all the greenery and plant-life that could be seen on either side of a large fence. Erik and Darcy rushed after him, trying to catch their breath.

Thor reached the end of the path where the large Marble Pedestal stood before him, the Uru Goblet upon it. He laid Jane gently on the ground before him. Thor took hold of the heavy Goblet and carried it lightly to a small brook that lay just behind the Pedestal. He knelt beside it and lowered the goblet to the water and allowed the water to swell into the cup. He picked it up and carried it back to Jane and Erik.

"Lift her head Erik. She needs to drink from this."

"Will it make her better?" Erik asked, trying to keep the worry out of his voice.

"Yes." Replied Thor. "Please don't worry."

Erik raised Jane's head slightly and Thor gently placed the Goblet on Jane's open lips and upended it slowly.

"Drink it all Jane." He said. "Don't waste a drop and don't stop drinking, even if you feel you must. You are badly wounded."

She drank greedily, remembering the sweet tangy taste of the clear water from the first time. But after only a few large gulps the water began to taste bitter. She struggled to move her head and choked a little.

"Hold her." Thor commanded to Erik and turning to Jane he said. "You need to finish this Jane. You have been terribly injured and the water is healing your wound but in doing so it may hurt you.."

She spluttered and choked. The water now tasting foul, like salty dirty mud with a consistency like scummy water. She sobbed it down wanting to stop so badly. Feeling was returning to her lower limbs but it was all pain and heat and she wished the pain would stop. Tears ran down her face and Thor hated seeing her suffer.

Eventually she drank no more as the goblet ran dry. The pain was incredible. The greatest part was centred in her lower back but a deep red terrible heat was travelling slowly towards each limb.

"You must all return to Earth where it is safe. Jane will heal within minutes. I must return to battle."

Thor leant down and kissed Jane on the forehead. He stood up, turned around and started running back the way he had come, his love for Jane always within him, but the Blood of the Battle calling out to him.

**# # # # # #**

Slap. Slap. Slap. The heavy Mace slapped into the palm of Hogun's hand as he stood waiting to begin, swinging his weapon lightly again and again, and unconscious of the act. His excitement was palpable and the need for blood and death heavy in the air. He grinned at his friends at the challenge before him and waited for the beginning.

Fandral looked around him. The Frost Giants were still coming through the doorway. There were now at least twenty. He smiled at one and it grinned back. Lives would be lost in the coming minutes but he had no intention to die today. He would start with the creature that was grinning at him.

Volstagg rubbed his hands together in glee. He wasn't carrying a weapon and looked forward to knocking a few heads together.

Sif looked around her in silence, observing much. The Giants kept coming through the portal and if the Asgardians intended to win this battle they needed to shut that entrance as soon as possible. They were severely lacking in numbers, only her friends were there beside her. Thor was gone. Thor, who thrived in battle and needed constant challenges to satisfy his blood-lust. And although a part of Sif knew why, she felt only anger towards the girl who could distract one of the most powerful Gods at the beginning of battle. But he was gone and although she hoped for his quick return, she could not rely on him. Odin lay behind the ice, trapped. He needed to be set free as his weapon, after Thor's, was the most powerful. Loki stood in the corner, his usual place at the beginning of any battle. He had started this, she had no doubt. He needed to be dealt with. And the Destroyer stood ever silent, ready and waiting for its owner's command.

A second passed. And then another. And another. It was moments away from the beginning of battle and both sides waited for the other to make the first move.

"Volstagg, you must set Odin free." Sif whispered although her voice carried to the furthest corners of the large room. She then turned towards Hogun and Fandrall. "And you two start killing those Giants. I'm going after Loki." With these words, the silence was broken and all hell broke loose.

The two friends rushed at the Frost Giants. Ice and Metal thrashed each other in an orgy of shouts and glorified grunts as battle commenced and blood started to flow. Hogun and Fandrall slashed through the Frost Giants, slicing an arm off one and gutting another. The Giants fell before them. Fandrall was touched by a creature on the left and the grip of the Giant was strong. He felt increasing pain as his arm started slowly turning to ice, the blood just under the skin freezing. He yelled at Hogun who noticed his struggles and rushed at the giant and beheaded him.

Volstagg had rushed around the mass of bodies in the centre of the room and reached Odin's prison of ice. He raised his fist and smashed it into the ice, causing small particles to fly all around, some cutting into his skin but healing quickly. He did this again and again whilst the Destroyer turned its large head and a white-blue fire began within its depths. Volstagg saw what was happening and he leaped onto the ice and started to clamber up, using his bloody indentations for handholds. The Ice erupted from the Destroyer and missed him by inches.

Loki watched as Sif weaved her way towards him. He had set the Destroyer to kill and it would now begin to destroy anything that moved. He raised his arms at her as if in greeting and so did about ten other Loki's. Identical versions of himself surrounded Sif and she screamed in fury at his trickery.

"Fight me like a man, you coward." She screamed, surrounded by a circle of Lokis. The Lokis frowned in anger at the use of the word coward and she grinned back at them, knowing which words would cut deep. The Lokis stepped slowly towards her. She saw them and raised her weapon, the background sounds of battle disappearing as she focused on the immediate danger around her. She raised her weapon and rushed at one of the Lokis, swinging her sword in an arc. The sword cut cleanly through him and the apparition disappeared in a cloud of vapour before being immediately replaced by another.

"My clever Sif." The Lokis said in one voice. "You and I have never seen eye to eye but even you must see this is fruitless. You once called me friend and I have no wish to harm you."

Sif grinned back at one of the Lokis before her. "Fool. You were never my friend, just Thor's hanger-on." She said.

And with that she raised her sword and attacked another of the Lokis as the smile was wiped from their faces and replaced with an expression of hurt.

Volstagg was holding onto the back of the Destroyer, pummelling it with both fists, blood dripping from his ruined knuckles. It hardly reacted to him, ice-fire hitting into the centre of the group of Frost Giants and his friends. All were dodging the madness of the monster but Volstagg knew it was only a matter of time before they fell before the Destroyer. The power contained within the Destroyer was ice but it seemed to be dangerous to the Giants too. Two Frost Giants were a pillar of ice and although he saw them working their way out from the centre quicker than an Asgardian could they were still stuck fast.

The Destroyer twisted its arm and tried to reach him. He dodged between its legs and managed to thwack Odin's ice prison three times more before a blast struck his arm and shoulder and pinioned him to the ground. The pain was excruciating and he watched as the Destroyer advanced upon him, powering itself to strike. Volstagg waited for the inevitable knowing he had tried his best. He stared defiantly at the Destroyer.

**# # # #**

Frigga sat on a chair and plucked a few notes out of her worn harp. She found the soothing notes of the instrument could relax her and help her focus her mind to immediate matters.

She felt old. She had lived many millennia and seen many things – wonders and horrors alike. She had been married to Odin from a young age and although she had not loved him when being bonded to him as his mate all those years ago her esteem and love had grown over the years and she had never loved another. She sometimes questioned him over his decisions but had found that he always had a reason for doing something, even if it took centuries for those reasons to come about. He was sometimes wrong but rarely and she hoped that he was not wrong in regards to her firstborn son. Her adopted son was lost to her and she had loved him so much and he had returned that love but it had always been Odin and Thor that he had tried to receive it from. Whilst Thor gave it openly, he did so in a boisterous way which Loki didn't recognise and her husband had always been distant to his second son. She hoped that Odin would not make the same mistake with their first-born.

Whilst she mused about the present and future and plucked disjointedly at the strings the doors behind her crashed open and two guards entered her private chamber.

"My my." She said, raising an eyebrow at the unwelcome disturbance. "There must be a big reason why you have entered my quarters without first announcing yourselves."

The two men clasped their fists to their chests and bowed their heads. One spoke clearly. "My queen. We are under attack. In the Throne Room." Frigga immediately stood, her hand fluttering to her heart as she gasped. "We must take you from here and protect you. You must come with us to the rooms designated for your safety."

"Where is my husband?"

"He is in the Throne Room and you must follow protocol and remain hidden."

Frigga drew herself up to her full height and walked towards the two guards. "You will return to battle and I will make my own way to the safety rooms."

They looked at each other and hesitated in their role.

She smiled knowing they would listen to her and leave her to follow her heart.

"Now." She uttered in a strong, quiet voice.

They bowed and rushed out, leaving the doors open behind them. She breathed deeply knowing Odin would be in the centre of things and orchestrating everything to cause a favourable outcome. She remembered their conversation and worried. He had sounded distant and unsure which was unlike him.

She walked slowly from the room.


	12. Chapter 12

**Dear Readers,**

**This is an apology for the terribly long pause I have taken since writing Chapter 11. I have no excuses apart from laziness and procrastinating (which is not an excuse). I know this will have put many of you off and I apologise for that. Please know that it will NOT happen again - I will finish this story if it's the last thing Loki makes me do!**

**Thank you and regards (wherever you may be),**

**Ilana**

* * *

><p>The battle continued unabated and as Thor rushed into the room he looked around him in horror and pleasure in equal measures - horror as he took in the large number of Asgardians and Frost Giants who were either frozen or dead upon the floor and pleasure at all the killing to come. He grinned at the scores of Frost Giants coming through the portal door and knew that was where he would be heading. He raised Mjolnir high above his head and raced into the battle, forgetting about the wrath of the Destroyer who was randomly aiming at the fray.<p>

Volstagg waited for the inevitable as he crouched before the metal monster. He looked up to see that it had turned from him and was now aiming at the large number of Asgardian warriors that were pouring into the room. The monster sent wave after wave of ice into the centre of the battle. Screams of pain and howls of anger were directed towards the Destroyer and it continued its onslaught relentlessly. The Destroyer never hit the same place twice and both races were caught in its relentless attack. The Destroyer continued firing and one of the blasts went straight towards the Portal where the Frost Giants continued to enter from. The gateway blew up in an inner explosion of intense heat and white light. All those surrounding the door were blown backwards. For a moment there was silence from all sides as they all tried to digest what had just happened. The door was gone and the Frost Giants were now low in numbers compared to the oncoming onslaught of Asgardian Warriors entering the large throne room from all sides. The Frost Giants realised the calamity that had befallen them. The portal was no more.

# # # #

Sif stood in the middle of a shifting sea of Lokis and watched the myriad expressions on his face. Before the blast he had been laughing at her as she tried to _kill _yet another of his illusions. When the portal ceased to exist, for just a moment the Lokis looked horrified at what had just happened before the mask fell back into place. They raised their hands and the Destroyer ceased its onslaught.

Sif laughed at Loki. "As always your foolishness exceeds no bounds." She said. "You have mistaken your strength and powers again."

"Oh my dear Sif. Do you honestly believe that I was relying on the Frost Giants to help me? They were merely a distraction at best and absolutely useless at worst."

Sif blotted out his voice and closed her eyes for a moment. She allowed the emotion of anger and war to wash over her as she thought of how to defeat him. She felt the Lokis closing in around her and knew the way to saving Asgard was in the destruction of Asgard's cruel son.

She opened her eyes and took a deep breath, leaping at the Loki nearest to her. She struck with abandon and without fear, screaming a battle cry as she lashed her blade through one Loki and then another, turning four into dust in a matter of seconds. She continued in an arc and a dance of death, slicing and shattering the images before her. She had already emptied the room of around half the Lokis and she continued forth, destroying the mirage as she went.

"What are you doing?" They said. She focused on death and ignored the illusion. She reached another Loki, and then another. She rushed at the next but he leapt out of her way, the sword slicing just a hair-breadth from his chest. She grinned as she beheld the real Loki and he stepped quickly away from her, his face looking uneasy.

"Care to fight me now, Loki?" She said, raising her sword.

Loki raised his hands in turn. "Of course Sif." He said pointing at the Destroyer.

The Destroyer turned its head and struck at Sif. Her face was raised towards Loki, teeth gleaming behind a grimace, spear raised to strike. And that is how she remained. The Ice covered her and she was lost and frozen.

# # # #

Thor was one of the first to rise from the multitude of bodies on the floor, many dead but many more alive although injured. He beheld the scene before him and saw the Destroyer strike Sif with Loki crouched before her.

Volstagg kneeled low with his left arm pinned and trapped, surrounded by the pressure and pain of ice. The Destroyer's attention lay elsewhere and he had moments to do something worthy. With all his strength he swung his free arm at the wall of ice surrounding Odin. His fist connected with the wall and the strength of the muscle behind the thrust caused a rippling crack to run quickly over the ice, stopping halfway. He knew he had mere seconds to free Odin before the Destroyer turned to destroy him. He used it to his full advantage, whipping the ice three more times with his bloody fist before the Destroyer turned back to him. He laughed as the ice splintered around him and watched as Odin from the other side pulled at his staff Gungnir and fell backwards as it came free, the ice prison falling down around him as he did so. The smile never left his face as he was finally struck by the Destroyer.

# # # #

Loki watched as his father pulled himself free from the ice. He walked slowly towards him, eyes fixated on him and no other. He moved through the battlefield between the Frost Giants and Asgardians, noticing at the back of his mind that more Asgardians were entering the fray and thus starting to outnumber his brethren. He feared not, knowing that they were but a sideshow, something to occupy the Immortals as he walked towards his fate.

"I should have killed you when I had the chance." Loki said.

"You don't have the courage." Odin replied, stiffly flexing his body, trying to remove the chill from within, and using Gungnir to pull himself to his full height.

"Probably not." Loki replied, showing more teeth as his mouth widened even further in a grin.

"I never did have what you call courage." He continued. "I specialised in other traits, ones you never recognised. Your son Thor, he has the traits of a true Asgardian. But then I never was one of you." Loki stopped talking and waved his hand to the side, where Thor stood, watching all that was transpiring before him, extremely confused. "And here is Thor now, ready to save you from me because obviously my killing my real father to save you wasn't good enough for you."

"I never meant to hurt you Loki." Odin whispered, his voice carrying to both his sons.

# # # #

In the background the battle was finally over. The remaining Frost Giants were surrounded and started to be taken from the room, Asgardians surrounding them on all sides. Any who opposed were swiftly cut down.

The guards and warriors started edging towards the cause of all the evil and mischief.

Odin looked around him and slapped Gungnir to the ground. All eyes were upon him and he pointed at the immortals before him.

"Leave us." He shouted to the throngs of soldiers around him. "I wish to converse with my sons alone."

The Asgardians started leaving, many looking worried and fearful towards the handsome young God dressed in green and black.

"Do you think that wise father?" Loki said, his lips curving upwards in a small smile.

* * *

><p><strong>If there are inconsistencies with this story I truly apologise (lots of apologies tonight...). It has been so long since I read the full story and I only reread chapter 11 in order to find out how to continue. I knew that if I spent the evening reading the whole story my muse might have left me by the time it was time to write. Please let me know and I will change it.<strong>

**I am finally coming to the end of my story - another three chapters and it will be over.**

**I understand if you utterly hate me and don't want to press the little button south of this chapter but know that I will love you forever more and worship you as a demi-God if you do so.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Another chapter out - within a week of the previous one. Oh I feel so happy. And it's probably more to do with the fact that I saw The Avengers (Assemble) today. And yes ... it was beyond brilliant. Oh Loki Loki Loki... Tom Tom Tom... (but don't worry, this story ships our beloved Jane and Thor ;)**

Jane fingered the Bubble around her throat and looked towards Darcy and Erik who were in discussion in the corner of the room. They looked at her with worried expressions and she knew they were concerned over what she had suffered. But she had tasted the waters from the Uru goblet and although it had been foul towards the end she was now fully healed. Strength and power coursed through her veins once more and she knew that she had to return to Asgard and be by Thor's side come what may.

She remained in her huddled position. If she was to return she had to make sure that she didn't endanger her dearest friends. If they knew of her plan they would try to join her.

She looked towards them both and sighed. They were her dearest friends, like the father she had lost and the sister she had never had. She knew she would hurt them with what she was about to do but she thought of Thor battling against Loki and she shivered realising he probably did not realise that how devious and cruel Loki was. She knew he still believed in his brother.

"Eric. Darcy." She said. "I love you both so much." They both turned towards her and she could see their expressions of shock and in Eric's case pity and then she pressed the Bubble.

**# # # #**

The Asgardian warriors removed the wounded and dying. They tried to remove those people encased in ice but burned their hands from the cold. Odin looked towards them and waved his hands at them to signify they should leave as quickly as possible. The guards and Warriors bowed their way out of the room which had grown stark in its emptiness, only the sight of blood and battle upon the floor and walls.

Sif and Volstagg remained behind in their ice prison, they eyes open and testament to all that was taking place.

**# # # #**

Thor looked towards his brother and father in confusion. When Thor has entered the chambers he had headed straight for the battle and blotted out all thought other than the blood-lust running through his veins. And then the portal had blown itself outwards and he had been thrown mere feet from the steps leading to his Father's throne.

He had seen Loki walking towards them and heard their words but had understood nothing. He was furious as his father for hurting Jane mere minutes ago and felt joy at seeing his brother's return and helping his woman when she was hurt. Thor could hear the pain and hurt in Loki's voice and understood so much now he knew of Loki's origins. Thor winced as he thought of all Loki must have suffered, and how he had been a part of the cause of that distress.

"Loki. Brother." Thor said, raising his arms as if to embrace Loki. "You are home now. We must now go and help all Asgard recover from this threat from the Frost Giants. Now is not the time to argue with the AllFather."

Thor looked towards his father in anger and knew that he would be having his own discussion with his father shortly. How dare his father hurt Jane?

Loki looked towards his brother in contempt and loathing. "Do you honestly think I care to make peace with my father after the way he has treated me." Loki shook his head. "And you brother? Do you think yourself an innocent to how I have suffered?"

It was then that the resounding boom of a portal being opened entered the chambers causing the three Gods to shield themselves from the utter power it produced. They had been so focused on each other that they hadn't noticed that familiar build up of pressure and sound. Loki leant against the Destroyer whilst Thor and Odin held onto their weapons which kept them rooted to the spot.

**# # # #**

Jane tried to take in all her surroundings at once and was thankful for her heightened senses as there was a wonderful lack of dizziness due to the waters from the Uru Goblet. She looked towards the three Gods before her, her eyes swiftly moving to Thor and his smile. She smiled back and shouted his name automatically before her eyes alighted on Loki beside him with the Destroyer by his side. Her smile quickly shattered and she took a brief step back before conscious thought make her realise that showed weakness. Thor started walking towards her, his arms outstretched.

"Thor. Please stay still." Jane cried, her eyes looking towards the Destroyer which had turned its head towards her, Loki sneering by its side.

"Jane, what is the matter? We have won. You are here. I will not allow my father to strike you again."

Jane looked towards Thor in puzzlement. "Odin never hit me Thor. It was Loki who hurt me."

"What are you talking about?" Thor asked, looking towards Loki. "It was my father who attacked you."

Jane shook her head, her eyes starting to tear up from frustration. What had happened in her absence? "It was Loki who attacked me. Loki with _his_ Destroyer on Earth who held Eric and Darcy captive."

Thor swivelled his head towards Loki who had started walking down the steps. "Oh well done Jane." He said. He reached Jane, who was standing tall with an angry look upon her face. He grabbed her neck and squeezed. A roar of rage sounded over Loki's shoulder and he kept his focus upon Jane's face. "If you make one move Thor, I will have to use the Destroyer on you. Such a shame you had to return Jane. You were safe on Earth. I might have even used your lover to commit patricide." He turned around, Jane moving slowly with him but before he did he heard a loud clang. His eyes fell upon the Destroyer being hurled across the room and Thor swinging his hammer at a dizzying pace.

"You talk too much brother." Thor shouted before diving after the Destroyer and hitting him twice more.

"I wouldn't do that _brother_." Loki snapped, shoving Jane hard towards Thor. Jane squealed as Loki's hand tightened even further. "I would actually relinquish your weapon unless you want Jane snapped like a twig."

Thor growled at Loki, realising just how powerless he was in the face of his mortal lover. The water she had drunk would not prevent her demise. Odin leaned on his staff wearily. Thor dropped his hammer which fell to the ground with a resounded thunk that echoed briefly around the great hall.

"You have us Loki. Neither of us will strike you whist you hold Jane captive. What do you want of us?" Odin murmured, looking very tired.

"Want of you?" Loki laughed bitterly. "There is nothing you could possibly offer me now that I could want apart from your pain." Loki let go of Jane and she fell to the floor, gasping for breath. "If either of you attempt to come towards her or use your Mjolnir or Gungnir against me I will kill her."

**# # # #**

Jane sat kneeling upon the ground before Loki, trying desperately to draw in a breath. Her hands were shaking as she lifted them towards the Bubble raised around her throat. She had a plan but knew that the probability of actually executing it was minute. She gently lifted the Bubble up from around her swollen throat, holding in a silent moan of pain at a place where it had stuck to her skin. She raised the Bubble towards her and turned the Dial around randomly, cringing when it squealed a little in movement.

**# # # #**

She watched silently from the corner of the Throne Room, her face set into a light frown and her eyes beholding her younger son and feeling pain so great she was almost crippled by it.

Frigga had always tried to show her love equally between her two sons but it had always been her husband's attention they had craved; and which had been sorely lacking when given to her younger son. She had seen how Loki had always been in the shadow of Thor and how Thor had played on that, albeit subconsciously. She had spoken of this often to Odin, especially in recent years, but her husband had never heeded her advice, although he listened to her regarding most other things. There had been moments in the dead of night that she had awoken in a cold sweat from horrible nightmares involving the death of all she held dear or pain beyond imagining and it would be Loki's face and Loki's laughter that would haunt her long after the dream had faded. Odin had never known about these visions and she wondered if that had been a mistake. But now she wondered at her husband's supposed indifference towards his adopted son. He had been the one to bring Loki back with him from Jotenheim all those years ago. He had been the one to tell her to treat the child as her own flesh and blood.

She had crossed most of the room before her mind registered the fact, walking silently on her small slippered feet. She looked towards her husband who had just registered her presence and he silently whipped his head back and forth and she could tell that he was asking for her retreat. She felt a little anger towards him. If he had treated his true heir and adopted son equally then things might have been different.

**# # # #**

Loki jumped a little as he felt the sweet caress of a small hand upon his shoulder. He smiled a bitter-sweet smile as he realised that the final piece of the puzzle had come into play.

"Mother." He said, not turning towards her. "How kind of you to join us."

Frigga slipped her arm gently around his shoulder and torso and hugged him from behind. She went up close and whispered urgently into his ear. "I love you my son and I understand you are hurting." She hugged his tighter, trying to convey all that she felt for him. "but you must desist from your actions whilst there is still a chance of forgiveness from your father."

"You understand nothing." Loki snarled as he whipped around and dragged Frigga by her arm to stand directly before him. With his other hand he dragged Jane up from the ground used her shirt collar and some hair and pulled her to stand beside Frigga.

"Do not move." He said to them both as he released them. Frigga's hand sought out Jane's and they grasped at each other, Jane with tears starting to fall.

Loki looked towards his horror-struck joke of a family.

"Thor?" He shouted, resting a hand on both the shoulders of Jane and Frigga. "You have a choice to make."

"Loki." Odin's voice boomed out. "If you do what you intend then there is no redemption for you. You will never again be welcome in Asgard because no punishment could ever redeem you from the course you are taking."

Loki's eyes went wide for a moment before he dropped his head slightly, looking out at the AllFather through a rim of thick lashes, his cheeks aflame with mad passion and his lips sealed tight with a scowl upon his face.

"I don't seek redemption. I seek revenge. It is that simple."

Thor looked towards the man he had called brother for over a millennia. He felt weary and knew that whatever happened he could never kill Loki, no matter what evils he would do.

"What is it you want of me Loki?" Thor said, his hands feeling empty without Mjolnir.

"You have a choice to make brother. Before you stand your lover and your mother. Only one of them can live." Thor gasped loudly and Odin shut his eyes in resignation. "If you try and rescue both neither shall live."

Loki grinned maniacally, happy with the way things had come about. Loki as well as Odin and Thor knew that if they tried to rescue them then they would be took late to save both. Loki laughed as he thought of their fate. If Jane died then Thor would never forgive himself and he would never forgive his father for refusing their love whilst Odin would suffer greatly without his beloved son's love. If Loki killed Frigga (which he was absolutely loath to do, he still felt some affection for the woman who had truly tried her best to raise him well, but needs outweighed emotion...) then Thor would never forgive himself for choosing her over Jane and Odin would never be able to forgive Thor for choosing his love over his own mother. Whatever happened he would win something this day.

"Which woman will you choose God of Thunder?" Loki demanded.

**Thank you StarTrekFanWriter for letting me know about Frigga's seer abilities - just had to make a brief mention there. :)**

**Any mistakes are utterly and entirely mine. I still don't know what a Beta Reader so I apologise if there are grammatical mistakes and bad spelling. Another chapter will be coming along soon so you won't have to wait too long to find out what happens next. Evil cliffhanger person me! **

**And thank you everyone who takes the time to review or favourite or follow my story. Have a great week and go see Avengers! x**


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